For years, my instinctive answer was: parents. This incident from my middle-school classroom still stays with me.

I had a bright boy in my class, strong in academics. His parents were ambitious and deeply involved. They attended every PTM, went through his answer booklets with a fine-tooth comb, and questioned every mark he lost.

In one exam, he copied the numbers from the question incorrectly, but solved the problem perfectly using those wrong numbers. I gave him full marks because he had understood and applied the concept correctly.

When his parents saw the paper, they were upset. I tried to reason with them that in this test we were measuring his mensuration skills, not his copying skills – and that the concept and method were absolutely right. But my explanation made no difference.

What I did not anticipate next was a formal complaint to the principal that I had “not checked the problem properly.”

I calmly explained my reasoning: in that moment, I chose to reward understanding over mechanical copying. Fortunately, the principal backed my decision. It felt like a major battle won – not against the parents, but for a particular way of looking at learning.

What did I learn?

• Parents are not “the enemy”; they are anxious advocates for their children.
• As educators, we must stand our ground on what good learning looks like – and explain it clearly, even if it is not accepted.
• Having a principal who trusts your professional judgment changes everything.

Your turn:
As a teacher or school leader, who have you found harder to handle – parents or staff – and why?