[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Welcome to FR! This is a very interesting question that you have asked. I don't know what the law says about whether civil servants such as teachers are required to protect the public in this country. However, as we grow up here in the U.S., we are told stories of heroism of people who sacrificed themselves to protect others. We are encouraged to protect those who are weaker than ourselves, such as children, whether it is our job or not, whether we are being paid for it or not. We believe that protecting those who cannot protect themselves is simply the right thing to do.

In the case of teachers, they are being paid to teach their students, not to be policemen or some other person who is paid to protect them. But many teachers here have been heroes, protecting their students from various calamities. One example is Dr. Liviu Lebrescu, who taught at Virginia Tech University. When the massacre occurred at Virginia Tech, he blocked the doorway to his classroom with his own body so that the students could have time to escape out the windows. I'm sure he realized he would not live through it, but Dr. Lebrescu was a Holocaust survivor and had seen many things, and I'm sure he knew he could not live with himself if he did not do all he could to save the students. Here is an excellent article about him: We Remember: Biographies - Virginia Tech.

And what about our belief in personal liberty? We do believe in that strongly. But many of us who are on this forum believe that we only have freedom because many people before us were willing to give of themselves so that we would have it now. Look at policemen or firefighters or soldiers. Look at the risks they run. They could not possibly be paid enough to give their lives, and yet they do it every day, because that is what they have sworn to do, to protect others. Freedom is nothing without personal honor.

Perhaps others will disagree. But I believe we protect others because it is the right thing to do, not because we are being paid for it. I think that deep down, the Chinese people believe that too, which is why there is so much talk about the teacher who ran away. No, he was not being paid enough to sacrifice his life for his students. No one in the world has that much money, to pay him for that. But it sounds as though most of you believe he should have protected his students because it was the right thing to do, not because he was being paid for it.

[medatj]

to Hetty,

Yeah, I remember Dr. Lebrescu. I saw him on our TV program. He’s a hero.

When people talk about liberty and freedom, a few of them may forget that both of them is not a accquired privilige for human race in a reality world. Lots of people worked and even died for it.

Thank you, Hetty, your comment is really impressing. :)