Published: November 1, 1994

Parents From Hell

Veteran teachers have their own version of the scary monster stories big kids tell around the campfire to frighten little kids. They wait patiently in the teachers' lounge for the arrival of an unsuspecting student teacher, then spook the rookie with tales of the Parent From Hell.

By the time my first parent-teacher night rolled around, I'd heard so many hair-raising stories about ill-mannered, intoxicated, or unsavory parents that the event seemed more like Halloween. One story in particular, I remember, involved a parent who smelled bad.

Most of these stories, however, had acquired through many retellings the larger-than-life flavor of tall tales, and I approached conference night with confidence in my growing teaching skills and what I considered a good rapport with my students. Besides, I figured, only the parents of the good students...