Well, they are talking about a government (ie, public) school. As my grandfather used to say, "Them as can, does. Them as can't, teach at government schools".
I find that an offensive statement. Both of my parents teach at public (government) schools - one in primary school, one at university-level - and neither of them does it because they "can't" do anything else. They do it because they want to teach.
I'm not saying that there aren't bad teachers at public schools. There are. I know some. But it's not necessarily true that all or even most of them are.
If you read carefully, you will find that (as usual) it is the administration that made the unbelieveable mistake. The teachers were doing what they were told to do. And, once again, if you read carefully you will find that some of them stood up to the administration - which takes guts, and only a teacher with tenure dares to do it, for fear of losing their job - and refused.
1) You have no right to not be offended. Be as offended as you like.
2) I have met some exemplary public school teachers, but by and large, I have not been impressed with the standards that are out there. I am glad that your parents are in the first gtoup. They are a precious commodity these days.
My husband and I homeschooled our three children because we were so dismayed at the level of incompetency we found in our local school systems. They are all three in college, and doing better than their peers who graduated "with honors" from government schools.
As to number one, I do believe you mean that I have a right to be offended. Because I have a right to be or not be offended.
And as to number two...I'm about to jump on a soapbox.
Blame the government, not the teachers. They pay the teachers an abysmal salary and expect them to give their lives to their work. And they are currently trying to lower their health benefits - the only good thing that teachers get.
Blame the community, not the teachers. They don't allow the laws and taxes and so on to be passed that will provide the money that will attract the competant teachers. And then they are dismayed and angry, as you are, by the level of incompetence of both the teachers and often, by consequence, the students.
Blame the administration, not the teachers, who would rather raise their own salaries and pay for useless programs and pointless extras than pay for supplies and classroom aides and more - better - teachers.
So yes, there are bad teachers, plenty of them. But don't forget that there are reasons why there are bad teachers. It could change, if people really wanted it to.
Re (2): That's a considerably different formulation from what you said at first, which was indeed out of line. If you had phrased it this way the first time, you could have spared yourself an unpleasant interaction and the need to apologize for your rudeness.
That I "need" to appologise for what you see as "my rudeness" is your opinion, which, as the sage said, are like...rear ends...everyone has one, and most of them smell.
And I stand by my own never-to-be-humbled opinion that most teachers are in the government system because they cannot do anything else. This comes from observations from my own childhood as well as having to deal (for even a short time) with my children's teachers.
I don't mind "unpleasant interactions, as long as my opponent is well-spoken. And, if you don't like my opinion, don't read my posts.
And so we chalk up one more datapoint in favor of the hypothesis that "you have no right not to be offended" is code for "I can be as rude as I like, and no one had better dare call me on it."
Since you're so fond of spouting aphorisms, here's one for you: "Anecdotes are not statistics."
The lady doth protest too much, methinks. William Shakespeare
You can be as offended as you like, and call me on my opinions whenever you like, but I still reserve the right to my own opinions, and the right to free speech.
Personally I've found that the quality of public school educations varies wildly depending on where you are. I went to school in Plano, TX, which is widely regarded as one of the best school systems in the US, and my sister still complains that the local colleges aren't as good. (Plano pays a premium for multiple and upper-level degrees, and quite a few of their teachers left teaching college to come there.) Some of my friends are actually jealous because I ran into our highschool history teacher the other day and got to say Hi, he's that good.
On the other hand, one of my aunts teaches in Dallas, where funding is so low she has to pay for classroom supplies herself just to make sure the kids have what they need, and she puts in 16-hour days and brings work home on the weekends trying to get everything done.
In the elementary school I went to (in Augusta, Georgia) the teachers were waiting for their young doctor husbands to finish their residency. They didn't teach, they marked time. In my high school (Roswell, Georgia) I was the new kid, and not kin to anybody. I was ignored. My daughters were in a middle-school day care center, and my son was in the 5th grade and couldn't write a coherent sentence. The teacher sisn't care. So, we took them out of school and home schooled them. They are all in good colleges with good GPAs.
Atlanta City schools spend approximately $13,000.00 per student, and still have the lowest ratings in the coutry. I know there are good teachers, but they are greatly outnumbered by the sorry ones. Hence the opinion that them as can't do, teaches. They are on the government dole, and not expected to actually produce anything.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 02:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 03:08 pm (UTC)I'm not saying that there aren't bad teachers at public schools. There are. I know some. But it's not necessarily true that all or even most of them are.
If you read carefully, you will find that (as usual) it is the administration that made the unbelieveable mistake. The teachers were doing what they were told to do. And, once again, if you read carefully you will find that some of them stood up to the administration - which takes guts, and only a teacher with tenure dares to do it, for fear of losing their job - and refused.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 03:16 pm (UTC)1) You have no right to not be offended. Be as offended as you like.
2) I have met some exemplary public school teachers, but by and large, I have not been impressed with the standards that are out there. I am glad that your parents are in the first gtoup. They are a precious commodity these days.
My husband and I homeschooled our three children because we were so dismayed at the level of incompetency we found in our local school systems. They are all three in college, and doing better than their peers who graduated "with honors" from government schools.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 04:52 pm (UTC)And as to number two...I'm about to jump on a soapbox.
Blame the government, not the teachers. They pay the teachers an abysmal salary and expect them to give their lives to their work. And they are currently trying to lower their health benefits - the only good thing that teachers get.
Blame the community, not the teachers. They don't allow the laws and taxes and so on to be passed that will provide the money that will attract the competant teachers. And then they are dismayed and angry, as you are, by the level of incompetence of both the teachers and often, by consequence, the students.
Blame the administration, not the teachers, who would rather raise their own salaries and pay for useless programs and pointless extras than pay for supplies and classroom aides and more - better - teachers.
So yes, there are bad teachers, plenty of them. But don't forget that there are reasons why there are bad teachers. It could change, if people really wanted it to.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 05:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 10:09 pm (UTC)And I stand by my own never-to-be-humbled opinion that most teachers are in the government system because they cannot do anything else. This comes from observations from my own childhood as well as having to deal (for even a short time) with my children's teachers.
I don't mind "unpleasant interactions, as long as my opponent is well-spoken. And, if you don't like my opinion, don't read my posts.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-20 02:45 am (UTC)Since you're so fond of spouting aphorisms, here's one for you: "Anecdotes are not statistics."
no subject
Date: 2006-04-20 03:22 am (UTC)William Shakespeare
You can be as offended as you like, and call me on my opinions whenever you like, but I still reserve the right to my own opinions, and the right to free speech.
Have a nice day.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-19 08:46 pm (UTC)On the other hand, one of my aunts teaches in Dallas, where funding is so low she has to pay for classroom supplies herself just to make sure the kids have what they need, and she puts in 16-hour days and brings work home on the weekends trying to get everything done.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-20 03:34 am (UTC)Atlanta City schools spend approximately $13,000.00 per student, and still have the lowest ratings in the coutry. I know there are good teachers, but they are greatly outnumbered by the sorry ones. Hence the opinion that them as can't do, teaches. They are on the government dole, and not expected to actually produce anything.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-20 03:48 am (UTC)