They are third graders, not kindergarteners. They are not "babies" as the mother called them. I wonder when people expect children to take responsibility for their own behavior these days?

I do not agree with taping their mouths shut. If she cannot control their behavior any other way - separating the chatters from each other, or at last resort, removing the worst offender from the room, detention reshelving library books for a week, etc., though, she needs to not be an elementary school librarian.