Domenica Peloso

With the rise of Generation Alpha, attitudes towards authority figures have drastically changed. Because defying rules is the new “cool,” teachers and parents have found it increasingly difficult to command these unreasonable adolescents.

In recent years, there has been an intense shift in the feelings of respect towards authority figures. Within the younger generations, specifically ages ranging from ten to fifteen, respect and consideration towards teachers, parents, and adults has increasingly diminished. 

Whether it is in restaurants, classrooms, or stores, basic manners have seemed to go out the window. These establishments have become plagued by delinquent teens who don’t care to respect or recognize simple rules. Many adolescents find themselves constantly disrespecting the small asks of authority figures. 

Within the classroom, teachers are constantly finding themselves overwhelmed with the immense disrespect circulating throughout the room. The attitude that teens are “too cool” to respect and listen to the basic rules teachers ask has increasingly become the norm. Blatantly rude emails, questions, and disruptions create a culture where students believe that teachers must earn their respect, not automatically gain it.

According to the Pew Research Center, “Twenty-three percent of elementary school teachers and 27 percent of middle school teachers say students being disrespectful toward them is a major problem, compared to only 14 percent of high school teachers,” said Tim Walker. 

The decline in respectful behavior based on grade level conveys how the younger generations are increasingly less considerate and polite towards teachers. 

“I feel like the younger generation is more entitled, this group is a little bit more privileged than others. I’ve seen [disrespect] grow slowly,” said Dance Program Director of 25 years, Kristine Calder. 

Specifically within California schools, a bill was passed over the summer that limits the usage of cell phones during school hours. This new bill received extensive criticism and upright refusal from middle school and high school students. 

Many students continuously argue against this rule, some even hiding their phones from teachers. Virtually every middle school and high school student owns a cell phone, leading many students to feel as if this bill is an infringement on their rights. This entitlement furthers the immense disrespect teachers receive from students. 

Personally, I have noticed the diminishing respect through the younger generation within my job. I teach ballet, and see that within just a couple years, the level of respect I receive from my own students has greatly diminished. Especially within ballet, a field of dance that is fundamentally built on the respect of other teachers and students, valuing the instruction of teachers is vital to growth within the ballet world. 

This is more than childish immaturity. The students view their defiance as funny and lighthearted rather than rude and disrespectful, and this direct disobedience from students has become a recent problem within both my classes, and my co-worker’s classes.

One factor that plays into this lack of respect is the newest parenting trend of “gentle parenting,” or a further emphasis on emotion and empathy towards children.

“Gentle parenting centers on acknowledging a child’s feelings and the motivations behind challenging behavior, as opposed to correcting the behavior itself,” said Jessica Winters in her article entitled “The Harsh Realm of ‘Gentle Parenting.”

While gentle parenting has its many perks, better understanding and connecting with your children as one of them, it also downplays the need for discipline. Never telling children “no” leads to a clear lack of respect. Children that are never reprimanded for their wrongdoings continue to make the same mistakes.