Dad asks 'where's the parents' after store complains to middle school about 100 or so students raising hell in the aisles

A Massachusetts dad asked "where's the parents" as a WFXT-TV camera rolled for its Wednesday story about a supermarket that contacted Medway Middle School to complain about students — around 100 of them — repeatedly wreaking havoc in the store on days when students are dismissed early.

"Where's the parents?" Eddie Enos asked the station. "That's what I say. Where's the parents?" He added to WFXT hypothetically that if he found out his son was taking part in that kind of behavior, it would stop immediately.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

What's the background?

“Over the weekend, I was contacted by the director of Shaw’s Market, who shared alarming information regarding a troubling trend involving our middle school students who visit Shaw’s on half days,” Principal Amanda Luizzi wrote in an email to parents, WFXT said.

The station said the email added that "a growing number of students are engaging in disruptive behavior while visiting the store. This includes building ‘forts’ out of paper towels, riding in carriages and electric carts, knocking over displays, and even stealing merchandise. These actions pose a risk to the students involved and customers of Shaw’s. They also reflect poorly on our school community."

Luizzi also asked parents to speak with their children, WFXT reported: “I am asking all families to partner with the school and have a conversation with their children about the importance of respectful behavior — in Shaw’s, in any business in the Plaza, and school. Please also speak with students about the potential consequences of their actions should this behavior continue.”

A spokesperson for the grocery chain told the station the students' behaviors have been “negatively impacting” shoppers as well. But WFXT added that as of Tuesday, the Medford store hadn't implemented a ban on students entering the premises.

‘Alarming’: Mass. middle school asks parents for help as students terrorize Shaw’s grocery storeyoutu.be

How are folks reacting?

Over 400 comments have appeared under the WFXT story published on Yahoo! News, and the reactions are varied. Here's a sampling:

• "How is this a school issue?" one commenter wondered. "If the same kids did the same thing on Sunday, would their church be responsible? School is dismissed...the school's responsibility for what the kids do should be over. Parents demand full authority over everything that schools do but accept zero responsibility. Call the cops. That is their job."
• "The school is asking parents to control their kids. The parents are the ones who didn't teach their kids how to behave in the first place," another commenter noted. "I wonder how that is going to work?"
• "Walking to and from school is a privilege (unsupervised free time). The school needs to tell the parents that children will stay on campus until picked up by an adult on half days — including unexpected closures," another commenter suggested. "Inconvenience the parents for the rest of the school year and see how quick those kids straighten up."
• "I think it might be worthwhile on half days if an army of parents descended on the store to surprise their little angels," another commenter offered.
• "Where are police in this town, at the local donut shop?" another commenter asked. "On half days the police should have a presence at this store and take into custody any students [who misbehave] and fine the parents for their child's misbehavior. Perhaps the parents should have to go to the store and clean up the damages their kids have done also. Oh that is right, no one is responsible for what their kids do anymore, my bad."

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