And All others who “Can’t stand” teachers
It’s so easy to hate on teachers, especially when you’ve had a negative experience in education, and I will say that the hate can be warranted from time to time. There are some teachers who absolutely do not belong in the classroom, and sometimes, teachers can take themselves too seriously. So, I hear ya. There are some bad teachers who probably only saw you as a troublemaker and wrote you off as nothing more than “that kid,” and that is wrong. It was not fair to you.
But your negative experience does not entitle you to what you said about teachers nor does it negate ALL the amazing things teachers do.
Let’s unpack what you said a little bit. First, you poked fun at how teachers make minimum wage. While that is a bit of an exaggeration, it is true that we do not get paid as much as we should given all the work we do. You have such a platform and audience that you could have called for wage reform. You could have used this as a moment to argue for a livable wage for ALL workers in America, but instead, you use it to make a condescending joke in poor taste, rubbing salt in the wound of countless teachers who are struggling, living paycheck to paycheck while having masters degrees.
Then you continued to say that you “can’t stand teachers” and that we’ll always have a ceiling. That’s all we’ll ever be: a teacher. Kind of reminiscent of the saying, “Those who can’t, teach.” I don’t really understand this take because it makes being a teacher seem small, pointless, or unimportant. That is so far from true. In my time as a teacher, I have functioned as a social worker, therapist, second parent, mentor, and lifeline for my students – things I never thought I could be. I have seen teachers take students from not knowing how to spell their name to writing full sentences by the end of the year. I have seen teachers give children the shoes off their feet and clothes off their back. There were students at my school who didn’t want to go home for the summer because they loved their teachers and knew they wouldn’t have the same sense of security, safety, and love at home.
Just in case you forgot – we teach EVERYONE. There are actors on stage because of a teacher. There are CEOs in charge because of a teacher. There are musicians, artists, and performers creating today because of a teacher. Teachers are the doorway to an educated world, and without education, we have nothing! That doesn’t sound like a ceiling to me.
While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I hope you think about what you said and the power your platform has. Not everyone is blessed with an audience such as you. I doubt this post will even get 5 views. I implore you, and ALL those with a platform and audience, to reflect on how your words can make an impact, even if it’s meant like a joke (and if this was meant to be a joke, it was poorly delivered).
One last thing to leave you with – think about tomorrow. You wake up and there are no more comedians. What does that world look like? Now, think about a world where you wake up, and there are no more teachers.
Which world are you choosing?
Sincerely,
A Teacher
P.S. I will continue to find the ceiling and break it every single time, not to spite you but to show you that there are no ceilings for teachers.
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