Teachers. We are definitely your enemy. Over the past few months, it has been a common occurrence in the news that teachers are to blame for everything. We are the ones that screwed up pensions. We are the ones that have ruined education and because we are members of the union we are somehow the cause of the economic crisis. Teachers are to blame for everything.
When going to college to become a teacher, I knew one thing. I wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of students. I knew what I was getting myself into and I also knew it wasn't for the money. However, after earning $200 every two weeks at Pizza Hut, a $800 paycheck didn't seem too bad. I started teaching in 2002 and everyday, I can truly say that I enjoy going to work. I enjoy teaching and there isn't anything I would rather do. I am one of many who do this daily. Yet, teachers daily are at fault for a multitude of things. When did the paradigm shift in the views of teachers occur? When did the majority of views stem from favoring teachers to being against teachers? I just don't get it.
I personally love it when people say, "well back when I was a child we learned things. Education was better...." Blah blah blah.. I just want to say that is a bunch of bull crap. Back in the day students were held accountable. Many more parents cared and were involved in their child's education and quite frankly, I don't think the standards were nearly as hard. Teachers could also use physical punishment. In addition, I think students learn more today than years ago. There were no standards of measurement to really say what the kids were learning. It is assumed that they learned more when I can say in math for example, it seems students are required to know more earlier and earlier. The difference isn't a lack of education it is a lack of morals and values of education combined with a growing number of low-income families. The devaluation of education in society has led everyone to point the finger of blame. Who is the easiest to blame? Schools and teachers. People always compare America to students overseas and how we are surpassed. What is the biggest difference? The value of education among families. Some countries go as far as to choose only the students they feel most fit to go to college. Education is a priority not a feel good notion.
So now we arrive to present day. Every president brings up the idea to reform education yet no one ever effectively does. It seems as if with each new president comes a new acronym for this feel good idea on how we are going to wave a magic wand and fix it all. Teachers cringe because they understand it won't work but lawmakers applaud the efforts because it sounds good. So then a new law or idea is then passed and within a given amount of time the heavens will open and students will now be smart. But of course we will raise class sizes and reduce funding. It is okay though because we make too much as it is.
You see as a teacher I live a secret life. I have a 5,000 sq. ft home with servants who wait on my every need. I have a Lexus and a BMW but I really only take my Ford to school. My pensions and health care costs are zero and I live a lavish lifestyle. I mean I am part of a union, what more would you expect? Commenting on the union issue, I am not sure why there is all of the sudden a huge mass entity going against unions. Unions support a competitive wage and why would anyone be against that? There are so many misconceptions as to people who belong to a union. In addition, what is the value of a teacher? People that say we are overpaid.. what should a teacher be paid? Minimum wage? Do you not want us to be paid as middle class? Rather than attacking unions as paying to much, why don't we figure out something to help out people in the private industry to receive more benefits? And to all of the people who say pensions are what is ruining the state you are sorely mistaken. The pension system is self-sustainable but the problem lies when corrupt governments borrow from it year after year and never pay it back. It can't support this but yet they keep taking more and more money from the "pension pot" to pay other areas of government. But of course teachers are at fault for this as well.
And of course how dare teachers complain about anything? I mean seriously, they get summers off. They only work 9-10 months a year. How dare they make what they do? I mean can we really expect teachers to call teaching a profession and make a life out of it? Whenever this argument is brought up, every teacher I know then goes on and on (and rightfully so) about the countless hours and money put in of our own time to do schoolwork. It truly is hard work. But of course when we bring up these issues to naysayers, we are told that we are complaining. Again, it is our fault. I guess it is okay that we have to purchase thousands of dollars of our own supplies. I mean I guess every profession does that right?
Just once I would like to listen to the media and and have them say something positive about teaching. I will go to my job loving what I do and doing the best damn job I can at it, but please once, lay off teachers. I, along with thousands of other teachers, can only stand to listen to this BS only so much before we are beat down. I mean at the rate we are going, teachers will be nothing more than minimum wage jobs with no benefits. Good thing I spent 50 grand on a college education. But that is probably my fault as well.
