Parents who do everything in their power to undermine the authority and ability of teachers to do their jobs:

A student at Lone Grove High School took the phone to school and it rang in the middle of class, according to Oklahoma TV station KTEN. After the class interruption, the teacher confiscated the phone and took it to the principal's office. School policy is to hold the phone for five days, but the student's mother told the TV station that isn't good enough. Yvonne Walker wants her son to have the phone in case of emergency.

The 16-year-old's parents said they got the phone for the teen so that he could contact them -- saying that it's not helping him for school officials to have the phone.

When school officials said that they couldn't break policy or make special considerations for anyone, the parents called police. The officer sent to the scene filed a report, which is now at the district attorney's office for consideration of larceny charges.

Great move. This not only damages the ability of the district to maintain order, it is also a gross disservice to their son.

A college professor I know once told me that he hated teaching freshman courses. Not because he hated freshman, but because of their parents. After every test, there were always calls from parents of students who performed poorly. Whenever a project was due, the parent of at least one student who missed the deadline would plead their case for their child. It also served as an accurate indicator of who would not be excelling in their undergraduate endeavor.

Parents, here is a hint: if you want your child to succeed, teach them some independence. They will never learn to stand up for themselves if Mom and Dad insist on serving as their champion in every adverse situation - even when they desire you to.