Good Morning Y’all,

Oh boy… where do I start?

Entitlement in schools is at an all-time high. Students are walking into classrooms feeling like they deserve a grade, a pass, a starting spot, or special treatment… before even putting in the work. <#sigh … insert eye-roll here>

Please don’t get me wrong… I’m not talking every student. Many kids are still hard-working, respectful, and ready to learn. But if you’ve been teaching for more than five minutes, you’ve probably noticed the percentage of entitled behavior is growing.

And as teachers, we’re the ones in the trenches… feeling the effects first.

What Teacher Are Seeing Right Now

Here are some common examples I’ve seen and I’ve heard from fellow teachers:

• Grade entitlement – Students expecting an A just for showing up, arguing about grades they didn’t earn, and asking for bonus points just to “bump it up” LOOONG AFTER THE ASSIGNMENT DEADLINE.

• Deadline disregard – Kids asking for extensions or make-ups with no valid reason, assuming you’ll just “make it work.”

• Feedback resistance – Students getting upset when you correct them, as if holding them accountable is somehow unfair.

• Blame shifting – Poor test grade? “The test was too hard.” Low project score? “You didn’t teach it right.”

• Sports entitlement – Some athletes think because they play club volleyball, league football, or select baseball, they should automatically start… even when their practice effort or skill level doesn’t match their confidence level.

• Authority issues – Disrespect, arguing, refusing to follow classroom norms, as if rules are optional.

Sound familiar?

These behaviors don’t just make our job harder, they chip away at classroom culture, drain our energy, and lower the bar for EVERYONE.

Why This Matters

If we don’t address entitlement head-on, here’s what’ll happen:

• Learning suffers – When students think they don’t need to earn success, they stop pushing themselves.

• Morale drops – Constant conflict over grades and rules wears you down and frustrates the students who are doing things right.

• Standards slip – Pressure to “keep kids happy” can lead to inflated grades, leniency on deadlines, and a slow slide away from excellence.

Let’s pull back and look at the bigger picture… when students carry entitlement into adulthood, the stakes get higher.
If they’ve never been held accountable, never faced a real “no,” and never had to fight for what they want, they won’t know how to handle adversity.

When the boss doesn’t give them the promotion they think they deserve, they’ll implode.
When the world doesn’t treat them like the center of attention, they’ll lash out… sometimes with hostility, volatility, or even violence in the workplace or in public.

The fact of the matter is… we aren’t just saving our sanity by addressing entitlement now, we are literally preparing students to survive and thrive in the real world.

BUT… there is a silver lining. We can combat this behavior and we can do it in a way that actually helps students grow.

3 Ways to Combat Student Entitlement

Here are three practical strategies to turn entitlement into accountability… and restore a healthy classroom culture:

1️⃣ Set Clear Expectations & Stick to Them

Students need to know what the bar is, and they need to see that it doesn’t move based on complaints or excuses.

• Post your grading policies, deadlines, and behavior expectations clearly.

• Be consistent! No secret rule changes, no “just this once” for kids who whine the loudest. Stand your ground.

• Model fairness and follow-through so students learn that choices have consequences.

Consistency builds trust… and trust builds respect.

2️⃣ Focus on Growth, Not Just Grades

Help students connect effort with outcome.

• Praise resilience, not just achievement: “I saw how you stuck with that hard problem… that’s what leads to growth.”

• Give feedback that shows students what they can control (effort, focus, attitude).

• Celebrate small wins! Improvement on a quiz, better participation, showing leadership in practice.

When students see progress as a result of their own hard work, entitlement loses its grip.

3️⃣ Build Character Alongside Content

We’re not just teaching math, history, or science, we’re shaping future adults.

• Talk about integrity, respect, and accountability openly.

• Use teachable moments to reinforce humility and sportsmanship (especially with athletes who think they should always start).

• Model the values you want to see… own your mistakes, show respect, work hard.

When students understand that life won’t hand them everything they want, they become stronger, more responsible humans.

Bottom Line Y’all…

Teachers, I know it feels heavy some days. We’re not just teaching, we’re managing attitudes, emotions, and expectations all day long.

But don’t give up. 💪
Every time we hold the line, we teach a life lesson. Every time we connect effort to results, we prepare a student for the real world. And every time we show consistency, we build a culture that rewards growth over entitlement.

We may not be able to fix the whole system, but we can impact the kids in front of us. And that is where real change begins.

Keep showing up. Keep teaching hard. Keep loving your students enough to tell them the truth.
You’re doing AWESOME work… even when it doesn’t feel like it.

YOU ARE THE BEE’S KNEES!

Blessings Y’all,
~ Mitch

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