This paper explores the ways in which the culture and organization of teaching influences the experiences and emotions secondary teachers report in their interactions with parents. Hargreaves' (1998) framework, based on the emotional politics of teaching, is modified and applied to the analysis of 68 secondary teacher interview responses from 2 studies that took place in 1997 and 1999 in Ontario, Canada. Four themes that emerged in the data were examined: (1) the prevalence of interaction rather than relationship between secondary teachers and parents; (2) teachers' sense of moral purpose and notions of caring that influence how they interact with parents and interpret these interactions; (3) mutual surveillance between parents and teachers; and (4) notions of teacher professionalism as they shape teacher-parent interactions. Findings indicate that parent-teacher contracts are typically episodic, school-based, and rule-bound. The paper closes with questions and suggestions for further research. (Contains 94 references.) (Author/SM)