Rude Parents at Schools

Re “District Policy Targets Rude Parents,” April 1:

Finally, a California school district is standing up to the rude and uncivil behavior of many parents. These parents are a product of the first crop of the ruthless, laissez faire decade of the ‘80s, when winning and making profits at all costs were the norm and governed interpersonal conduct. It can be observed in schools where parents storm into teachers’ lounges demanding better grades for their offspring and on the youth sports fields where parents frequently and violently disagree with referees. I have refereed youth soccer for the past 25 years and, increasingly during the past few years, encountered aggressive and abusive parents.

I applaud the Capistrano Unified School District for filing misdemeanor charges against screaming and obscene parents. They should go one step further and file criminal charges in cases of physical threats against school personnel.

PETER WEISBROD

Laguna Beach

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I read the whole article and did not see a reference to April Fools’ Day. When the children behave badly, it is almost for sure that parents will be blamed. Or that their backgrounds be investigated to find out why children misbehave. In either case the school districts are not at fault. To quote Ron Wenkart, general counsel for the Orange County Department of Education, “In general, society has become very aggressive. . . . That is reflected in our parents.”

Is it possible that school districts’ policies and staff decisions could account for this reaction? One occurrence a week, approximately 38-40 complaints a year? Whose fault?

PHILIP A. PEYROT

Los Angeles