Wouldn't you agree that teaching is a noble profession?

Question

I think that a lot of us here have at least a few teachers to thank! After all, if it weren't for teachers, some of us wouldn't be able to read or post the stuff we do on here. For that matter, if it weren't for teachers, some of us wouldn't know the first thing about the workings of the US government or world politics.

For some reason, though, certain conservatives here seem to be fond of bashing teachers. Because of the fact that a lot (but not all) teachers tend to be left-leaning in their political views, some conservatives like to spout out the old adage, "Those who can't, teach." First of all, let me say that when I was in grade school and college, I had instructors who were both liberal and conservative. That being said, though, 99.9% of them didn't make any attempts to indoctrinate us. Rather, they dealt with the subject matter of their classes. Also, I would like to say that not just anyone can be a good teacher. Teaching requires talent, and good teachers deserve credit.

Answer 1

well stated, and I thank you for your kind words.

Answer 2

Teaching is a profession that gets little respect considering its societal importance. Its no wonder we get the people with the lowest SAT scores on average becoming teachers considering the pay and the lack of respect for the profession.

Furthermore, I do not blame teachers for most of the problems in our schools. I know plenty of teachers who try to teach, but seeing they have to be parents to many of these kids because the students lack a home life. If we are going to solve our education problems, we need to start with dysfunctional families. No politician will blame the parents for being bad parents seeing there are more bad parents than teachers.

I probably would be a good teacher, but it does not pay enough considering the issues teachers deal with. Instead I am studying to be a lawyer.

Answer 3

Got to tell you, I didn't learn much about the workings of the US government or world politics from my teachers. I learned that in the real world.

I did, however, learn from teachers:
1. How to have a good self esteem, but not much grammar.
2. How to put a condom on.
3. That creationism is a fairy tale.
4. The best way to flee to Canada to evade serving in Vietnam (my 10th grade history teacher spent days reliving those memories).
5.that Global Warming is the biggest threat to my survival coming into adulthood and that I would probably not survive it. 6.Also I learned from my 11th grade Modern World history teacher that I would enjoy a lower standard of living than my parents and mine would be the first generation in this country this would happen to.

Now, most teachers, I'll admit aren't specifically going for the indoctrination. Many are just doing their jobs and the teachers unions and administrators are to blame for many of the atrocities being perpetrated upon our children in the disguise of education. But that defense (only following orders)didn't hold up for the Nazi's so I don't imagine it holds much water for any other grown adult.

Answer 4

Yes, teaching is a noble profession. Luckily, many conservatives do recognize that. The neo-con mouthpieces, however, claim to have these reasons to resent teachers:
1) Teachers unions. They figure anyone in a union must be corrupt, because neocons sympathize with the business owners, not the business workers.
2) Social bias. I once had a heart surgeon tell me that teachers deserved to earn minimum wage because they were stupid enough to become teachers; if they wanted more money, they should have become surgeons. Honest to god. And he couldn't have been a surgeon without teachers.
3) The blame game. All politicians insist that they're for helping schoolchildren, because it gets votes. The neocons try to do it through mandating tests and such, and when that doesn't raise scores enough (since teaching to the test creates drones, not smart people), they have to blame someone. Hey, how about the teachers?

Idiots.

Answer 5

Of course teaching is a noble profession. In fact teachers are grossly underpaid. With all the crap some teachers have to put up with these days some even deserve combat pay.

Answer 6

The role of teacher varies from one culture to another. In many asian cultures, for instance, teachers are positively revered. In America, OTOH, K-12 public-school teachers are little more than babysitters. Sometimes, babysitters who should be getting combat pay, sometimes babysitters who insist on teaching and do so effectively in spite of all the barriers put in thier way.

Answer 7

Teaching is a noble profession.While all teachers do not politically indoctrinate, your 99.9% figure is as close to being WRONG as Ted Kennedy's lips to a whiskey glass.
The good teachers do deserve credit,but they are part of the crooked teachers UNIONS that wont let us get rid of the bad teachers.

Answer 8

It's no secret the winner of this years' Spelling Bee was homeschooled..

for one success..I want them to take a fraction of blame for the failures..Washington DC has more spent on a student
than anywhere in the Country..what is the excuse for the illiteracy and mass failure there..

I am still waiting for the proof that the Constitution "clearly"..draws the separation of Church and State..

if that is what you were taught..somebody failed miserably

as usual lefties pander to other lefties..like the world won't turn without them..

Answer 9

I would agree with you. Normally I joke about teachers, but I will say one thing with certainty.

That .01 of indoctorination statistic is yours. Not typical.

My kid came home last year with a book report to do on why Bush unfairly started this war.

Congress gave him the executive power. For that VIEWPOINT, he was given a lower grade.

So if teachers could stick to teaching the actual FACTS like Math, Reading, Writing, etc instead of trying to make kids agree with their political views for a higher grade - and don't tell me it doesn't happen - then I don't mind.

Answer 10

You are right. Teaching is a wonderful profession and my professors don't indoctrinate either.

Answer 11

Absolutly YES. And I'm a republican. Some of the best people I know are teachers.