"What weve got here is failure to communicate" is a famous line from the 1967 movie "Cool Hand Luke". The line is spoken by Captain, played by Strother Martin, to justify his use of violence against the prisoners. The phrase has since become a popular cultural reference to describe situations where communication has broken down. In the context of education, some reformers believe that "failure to communicate" is the reason for parent and teacher discontent, and that better communication is the solution. However, others argue that the focus on communication, rather than on addressing concerns, demonstrates a lack of faith in the ability of parents and teachers to understand what is occurring. In general, the phrase "failure to communicate" is often used to describe situations where there is a breakdown in understanding or communication between two parties.