On a recent episode of the Not Gonna Lie podcast, Kylie Kelce and Kelly Clarkson addressed a parenting topic that ended up being a bit controversial. While speaking to Kylie, Kelly complained about school events that happen in the middle of the day on weekdays, making it difficult for some parents to attend. “Why do schools have things in the middle of the f—ing day?” the American Idol winner questioned.
Kelly explained that she feels like a bad mom when she can’t attend these events.
She explained that when her daughter has a performance during the middle of the school day, she ends up being “the a–hole who misses it.” Kylie seemed to agree that, for many parents, “10 a.m. on a Thursday” is not the most convenient time for school events.
Kelly went on to say that sometimes her daughter will ask her why she wasn’t at the event. Her daughter will also point out that other moms attended. Because kids don’t understand why their parents weren’t there, having the events during the middle of the day is “cruel,” Kelly concluded.
She spoke about the same topic in a clip shared on Instagram as well.
The topic sparked a debate when a promotional clip for the podcast episode was posted on March 26. In the clip, Kelly said, “I don’t know when the school systems thought it would be a good plan for families and their emotional stability to start having performances at 10 a.m. during the week.”
“This just in: a lot of us work,” she added. Kelly also criticized the way many school events come as a surprise to her. If schools informed parents in advance, they might be able to take time off, she argued. “Our kids don’t understand, and we just look like a–holes when we’re not there,” Kelly said.
Many teachers pointed out that evening performances are not good for teachers.
A lot of teachers and parents had strong opinions about Kelly’s take. Multiple teachers pointed out that teachers aren’t paid to work in the evening.
“Former teacher and now a mom, I 100% understand this and where parents come from,” one person commented. “However, as a former teacher, no teacher wants to have to stay after school when they’re not getting paid for it to host a kids performance. If schools would pay teachers better then this wouldn’t be a problem.”
Another fan of Kylie’s podcast said they were “disappointed” to see Kylie share a clip of Kelly “bashing schools, and inadvertently the teaching profession that is overwhelmingly made of women.” The fan accused Kelly of “entitlement,” and pointed out that many teachers are parents too and have other things to do after working hours.
“In order for after school events to occur, teachers would have to be there,” they explained. “Most teachers are not paid to attend these functions, yet we are expected to be there. And what about the teacher that then had to figure out evening childcare for their own children? Or the teacher that misses their own kids’ sporting events to be at the school function?”
Other teachers chimed in and said that at their schools, parents are informed about events in advance. A third fan wrote: “Most decisions are out of our hands and many parents do not read emails/texts for information or listen to messages. We are all busy and overwhelmed.”
A fourth teacher added that “the amount of overtime we already encounter as educators is overwhelming.”
However, some parents agreed with Kelly.
While Kelly’s comments garnered a lot of backlash from teachers, some parents could relate to her.
One fan commented: “This is so true!! And the guilt when you can’t show up HURTS.”
Other parents agreed that it’s “so hard” to make it to school events, with one person writing, “And then you somehow scramble to get there, and the performance is 10 minutes long.”
“From one working mom to another … PREACH!!!” a third person wrote.
