The question of whether whether parents or schools should teach children to become good members of society is widely debated in modern society. While schools are essential arenas for citizenship because they bring children into contact with rules and diversity, I am convinced that the earliest and deepest moral formation usually happens inside the family.
The most compelling reason is that children absorb social norms through repeated observation long before formal lessons begin. This matters because how parents handle disagreement may teach more about respect than a classroom poster ever could. Moreover, schools can refine these habits through teamwork, discipline, and exposure to difference. These effects can continue to influence individuals and communities beyond the immediate situation.
Admittedly, families vary widely in time, education, and emotional stability. Yet this weakness can be reduced if schools deliberately teach social responsibility and involve parents in the process. Furthermore, a balanced approach would allow home influence and public education to reinforce rather than contradict each other.
On balance, good citizenship is a shared project, with parents laying the foundation and schools widening it. Provided that those rules are consistently enforced, this approach offers a stronger and more sustainable answer to the issue.