TOKYO: Earlier this month, the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education came up with new guidelines to help teachers manage “monster parents,” whose unreasonable demands can not only disrupt classroom activities but also make educators’ jobs overwhelming.
The term “monster parents” has been around for at least the past couple of decades and describes parents who complain at the slightest things and are excessively demanding, and whose behaviour can lead to teachers feeling burned out or even falling sick. Some teachers have resorted to taking out additional insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits. There was even a TV drama about such parents in 2008, and the issue has become one of public concern since then.
For example, an article in the South China Morning Post says that some parents do not hesitate to call or text their child’s teachers late at night, asking for information that had previously been given. Even worse, parents have berated teachers concerning insect bites, the lack of flavour in school lunches, and even the lack of cherry blossoms on trees during entrance ceremonies. The SCMP piece cited a Fuji TV news segment that showed parents demanding that a school pay for the expenses they incurred after their child had a minor injury, together with a meal they had.
The issue has worsened Japan’s teacher shortage, which is likely the reason for the guidelines from Tokyo’s Board of Education, at least in part.
The guidelines, released on Nov 6, set the limit for parent-teacher consultations on weekdays to 30 minutes, or, under specific circumstances, an hour, given the heavy workload teachers have.
Additionally, these meetings will be attended by at least two teachers, and when parents repeatedly request consultations, school management will be present from the third meeting onward. By the fourth meeting, others would be brought in, such as psychologists and lawyers, and from the fifth meeting on, the school will only be represented by its lawyers, according to The Japan Times. Moreover, all meetings will be recorded.
Should parents or guardians turn verbally abusive, up to five school staff are allowed to step in, and a security firm can even be called if it continues. If parents or guardians refuse to leave the school premises or if they resort to physical violence, the school will call the police.
In April, a survey of 12,000 public school teachers revealed that around 20% of respondents said they have experienced “words or behaviour questionable by societal standards,” and more than 1,000 of them experienced “an overwhelming workload leading to increased overtime,” The Mainchi reported.
A final outline of the guidelines will be set by next month, and they are expected to come into effect by the next school year. They will also be shared with other municipal boards later on. /TISG
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