In past decades, society has realized that teachers should be less strict toward their students in order to foster positive connections that benefit the learning environment. However, teachers across the nation have started to experience recurring problems with student behavior and disrespect. The behavior of teenagers is blamed on several factors, with COVID-19 being a top contender. 

Current teenagers who experienced homeschooling from 2020 to 2022 face a plethora of challenges that teenagers from previous generations did not, because of the entirely different conditions of growing up in the time of uncertainty that was quarantine. 

While the world was in social isolation, phones and other forms of technology were the only sources of communication, causing teenagers to have more dependence on them. 

At the same time, they were not able to interact with others in person, hindering their social awareness and development. 

Students who experienced homeschooling became comfortable with their new environment — taking a class in their pajamas from bed, being able to turn off the microphone and camera, the teacher not being able to see that they are playing a video game instead of following along with the notes — and they are still finding it difficult to transition back to the more traditional and regulated in-person classroom setting. 

The lasting effects of online learning can be seen in today’s classrooms, with some teachers finding it difficult to prevent students from talking during class or paying attention. 

According to sophomore Ariel Yeh, students are often rude to teachers because they are stressed. 

“I think some students are rude to teachers because they are being assigned homework, and they have a lot of stress put on them,” Yeh said. 

Blue Valley North English teacher Kat Buchanan has occasionally experienced such altered behavior with students in her classes.

“Students are more reactive now,” Buchanan said. “They tend to be on the defense about things. I’ve seen students balk over tardies or detentions issued.” 

However, she believes that the disrespect students express toward their teachers stems from a much larger problem. 

“I sincerely think that there has been a shift in societal opinions of education and teachers, and the profession as a whole is a lot less respected,” Buchanan said. 

 Society has begun to pressure teachers to be less strict towards their students, and some teachers find it difficult to set regulations in their classrooms. 

Buchanan says that while it is difficult for teachers to enforce rules at the moment, North does a good job of setting boundaries and giving teachers a way to enforce them. 

Senior Ella Grant agrees that by setting standards at the beginning of the year and enforcing them throughout the year,  teachers can gain more respect from their students. 

“I think that there needs to be a boundary set up between administrator and student where they have the power role, and I think that if those restrictions were to loosen up, the learning experience wouldn’t be as effective,” Grant said. 

However, Grant says that a strict learning environment isn’t always the best option for a teacher or student.

“A learning environment doesn’t have to be super strict—there are multiple ways to learn,” Grant said. “If teachers and students both have the flexibility to let the other group succeed, then I think that [their happiness at school] would be equal.” 

Freshman Ashley Mok says that several benefits arise from students and teachers exchanging mutual respect. 

“When there is mutual respect between students and teachers, there’s a stronger bond, they are more likely to ask for help, and they will be more successful in the classroom,” Mok said. 

Buchanan says that it is entirely possible for students and teachers to view their school as a positive community, and it is a crucial aspect of creating a productive learning experience. 

“I think that both [students and teachers] can be happy at school, but you have to make sure that you’re fostering an environment and culture where both groups are happy to be at the building and learning,” Buchanan said. “I have seen it at North, and I don’t think that it has gone away.”