How a School's Guidelines Became a Social Media Hit

Every parent eventually wonders where a school's responsibility for their child begins and ends. Fewer parents seem to ask themselves if they are effectively imparting the universal values needed for their child to become a good person and smoothly integrate into society.

This question is more relevant than ever in the age of social media. "Parents need to learn to draw the line between what falls under teachers' responsibilities and their own as parents," explains a guideline note from a Portuguese school that quickly went viral online. "We wish to remind you, dear parents, that magical words like 'hello', 'please', 'thank you', 'sorry', and 'welcome' should be taught at home, not at school."

"Home is also where your children learn the importance of order and cleanliness—how critical it is to maintain a clean environment, not to speak with their mouth full, and to dispose of candy wrappers in the trash. Home is where a child should first learn to organize their belongings, take care of their notebooks and books, and put things away after use."

"And yes, at home, children learn how to be honest and truthful—or the opposite. If you converse around them in the language of lies, that's what they'll learn. From you. If you speak disrespectfully to one another, that's how they'll speak and behave with their school friends. If you yell at each other and talk disrespectfully, that's how your child will treat teachers and elders—without a shred of respect."

"Here at school, by contrast, we teach language, mathematics, history, geography, physics, and the social sciences. We merely reinforce the education parents provide at home, not the other way around."

Do you agree?