When I see a newbie teacher, especially those "Teach for America" lib-babies, it is utterly predictable to see them first amazed at the low reading levels, the utter lack of effort and the disrespect, then frustrated at the futility of their efforts to get the students to want to learn anything that will help them advance themselves, and then finally just going with the flow. The cynicism comes after multiple years of having the same thing happen over and over again. And then getting screwed for having tried so hard to succeed with the Myth of Sisyphus and having not succeeded with your grade statistics (if they be at all honest and not just inflated).
You are the one reprimanded, you are one called a "bad" teacher, you are the one vilified in the media. Nothing happens to these students, and they live happily ever-after on your hard-earned dime. They don't aspire to more.
Teachers who try to raise the standards will not get backed by the admin and they will be pressured to lower them back.
I sure did. And I am going to be honest about my experience, no matter what anyone calls me (and I have been demonized for warning people about getting invoked to help blacks), because the person I JUST MIGHT help, is the stupid little white suburban do- good girl, who is about to devote her life to a fairy tale of racial harmony- that she can not actually impact.
You too? :)