A feeling of common ownership creates a formidable bond between the school and community, building an environment in which educators and the community, in which the school is built, collectively take responsibility for all that is happening in a school. Progress is delayed when time is invested in trading accusations. Sometimes educators may rightly or wrongly accuse parents of overburdening them with ‘home’ issues that could be handled better at home and parents too could feel very much let down by teachers of their children in some respects.
The student indiscipline could be traced back at home to dysfunctional family settings in particular or to a sick society in general. But at the same time, a school environment, which does not sufficiently challenge and encourage students to reach their potential, could provide a fertile ground for the rise and escalation of student disciplinary issues. It really takes two to tango. Playing the blame game when things go wrong in a school cannot carry anyone anywhere. The blame game offers no solution to problems at hand. It can only harden attitudes while creating a perpetual spirit of conflict and sowing the seeds of mutual mistrust. It is better for all stakeholders, united and bound by their mutual love for the children under their care to engage one another in a give and take environment. Mutual respect brings about a common understanding of issues at stake. One of the common problems bedevelling schools is vandalism. It could be argued that vandalism could be caused by failure on the part of parents to instil in their children a sense of pride, love and respect for their surroundings. What is not fixed at home can also subsequently resurface and find expression at school.
