I actually resent this entire thread. My father was a high school teacher (govt and history) for over 30 years. The majority of the school had to pass my father to graduate high school. He was very very tough. But very, very fair. I know, I had to have him for a class.
He worked from 7am to 4pm, then after dinner he graded papers until 10 or 11pm 3 or 4 nights a week. He taught drivers ed in the summer, and was a basketball and volleyball referee. He made very little money-class is only 9 mos. a year, and teachers only get paid for 9 mos. (contrary to urban myth-teachers do not get paid year round. You can have your salary split into 12 mos. if you wish-but it's the same amount) He had to deal with students problems-both mental and physical. He had to deal with parents of kids who were inept and had no idea what they were doing (ie. mainstreaming kids who had no business being mainstreamed) or dealing with the parents of kids who where failing and those parents just could not understand why- and it must be my Dads fault. They could never get that a lot of their kids were dumb. I should know, I went to school with them.
We had a classmate die one year, who dealt with the kids and their loss? Teachers, of course. They have the hardest job. There are bad teachers out there. There are bad doctors, lawyers, judges, cops, etc.... But, I believe there are more good teachers than bad, and I resent people dumping on teachers without ever knowing one, or knowing what one does.
People like your pops are few and far between, and desperately needed. He sounds like a wonderful person, I wish I had known him.
I was blessed to grow up in a nice area, and we had mostly excellent teachers. I can't complain.
I agree with you totally, and I'm not a teacher.
Parents are the ultimate responsible party when it comes to educating their children, regardless of the route they choose, be it homeschooling, public school or private school.
As a person now looking for my first history teaching job, thank you.
I have been appalled by this thread considering there are a lot of Freeper teachers.