What teachers blame for poor behaviourWhen we ask teachers directly about sources of stress, “relationships with parents” rarely comes near the top. There’s a phase divide too: nearly three in ten primary teachers say parents are a source of stress, but only 16 per cent of secondary teachers say the same. AbuseAround one in five teachers say they’ve experienced abusive emails or messages from parents, with the same proportion reporting verbal abuse face-to-face. Two-thirds of primary teachers and half of secondary teachers have never received parent engagement training. Blaming “dreadful parents” might therefore feel satisfying, but it risks turning allies into enemies.