Content creator and teacher Cillah has sparked conversation online after calling on separated couples to stop involving teachers in disagreements over co-parenting responsibilities.
In a video shared on her Instagram page, the educator said teachers frequently find themselves caught in the middle of conflicts between parents, particularly when it comes to school fees and other financial obligations.
According to Cillah, educators are often placed in an uncomfortable position, with each parent directing the school to the other whenever payment is required.
“If you both agreed to co-parent, I wasn’t there as your teacher or mediator, so please don’t involve me in your issues,” she said.
She explained that situations involving separated parents can become frustrating for teachers, especially when they are asked to chase school fees or relay messages between parents who are no longer on good terms.
Cillah noted that it is common for a teacher to contact one parent regarding an outstanding payment, only to be told to speak to the other parent.
When they reach out to the second parent, they are sometimes referred back again, leaving the matter unresolved and placing unnecessary pressure on school staff.
She argued that teachers already have demanding responsibilities in the classroom and should not be expected to mediate personal disputes between parents.
While making her point, Cillah injected humour into the discussion, joking that she is simply a young single woman who should not be dragged into relationship matters she had nothing to do with.
Her light-hearted delivery resonated with many viewers, even as she highlighted a challenge that teachers say they encounter regularly.
The video quickly attracted reactions on social media, where many fellow teachers agreed with her observations. Some shared their own experiences of being caught between separated parents who refuse to communicate directly with each other.
Others said children often end up suffering when disagreements over school fees and responsibilities spill into the school environment.
Several parents also joined the discussion, acknowledging that schools should not be used as channels for settling personal disagreements.
They encouraged separated couples to communicate respectfully and make decisions that prioritise their children’s education and well-being.
Although Cillah’s message was delivered with humour, many viewers said it raised an important issue about the boundaries between schools and family disputes.
Her appeal has since prompted wider discussion about co-parenting, with many Kenyans agreeing that while teachers play an important role in children’s lives, resolving relationship conflicts should remain the responsibility of parents, not the educators tasked with teaching their children.