“Parents if you don’t parent, we can’t improve our schools,” he said. “You’ve got to parent. You’ve got to turn off the television set in your house once in a while, you’ve got to put the video game away once in a while.”

“You should have a curfew in your house so your children aren’t out in the streets all night. You should meet with the teacher and find out what the homework is and help that child with the homework. And if you don’t know how to do the homework, don’t be embarrassed, find someone to help you.”

“Fathers, be fathers,” he added. “Be a part of your child’s life. Be a part of your child’s life and try to make them proud.

“And the last thing is, if your child is misbehaving at school don’t curse out the teacher. You know who you are. It’s not the teacher’s fault that your child is misbehaving. That’s some home training.”

The crowd reacted raucously and Obama laughed. “You know what I say is true, though. Don’t blame the teachers, and the government and the schools if you’re not doing your job.”