When Famous People Defend Teachers, It Makes My Heart Happy
Thank you, Matt Damon. I always knew I liked you.
I would like to see some context to this video, though. From the clip we get, it seems like both the reporter and the cameraman are staunchly conservative people who truly believe that tenured teachers have no desire or motivation to become better at their craft and – probably – that they are overpaid for the time they spend working. Since, you know, we have summers off and have pensions and all that. However, I have a feeling that the reporter was just out to get a story and was asking questions she was told to ask, and the cameraman was… well… probably just being a jerk. I think we’d know more if we could see more. Also, it bugs me that Matt Damon’s mom apparently doesn’t have a name, according to the on-screen captions; she’s just Matt Damon’s mom.
But, Matt Damon, I like you. You’re passionate, eloquent, and willing to tell off an interviewer, despite what it might do to your “image.” When famous people defend teachers, it makes my heart happy. Teachers can defend themselves all they want, but people don’t listen or believe them. When famous people do it, well, it’s just nice. 🙂
And I have a few choice words for that cameraman. Seriously. He just had to jump in there at the end, didn’t he? Like it’s his job to do the interviewing? Like he can’t let the reporter do her job? And PUH-LEASE! “Aren’t there 10% of teachers that are bad?” Good lord. OF COURSE there are bad teachers. Just because you’re a teacher means you have to be good at it? Why? Because you’re shaping America’s youth? What about bad politicians who are shaping America’s policies? You haven’t heard of any of them, right? What about bad nannies or babysitters? Bad parents? Little League coaches? They all have an impact on America’s youth, too, so there couldn’t possibly be anyone bad at those jobs, correct? Not to mention people who suck at EVERY OTHER JOB IN THE WORLD. Nope, those people don’t exist, either. There are just bad teachers. Idiot.
I don’t usually justify these conservative arguments with a response, and I’m certainly not going to right now, either, since the pool is calling my name because, you know, I’m a lazy teacher with summers off. But if you want to talk salary, pensions, and a 70-hour work week, you let me know. I don’t know a single teacher who doesn’t work his or her butt off to make a difference. Tenured or not.