Elsewhere in the article someone discusses the family's commitment to public service. Argh. This isn't about Romney, just this conceit that being a member of Congress, or a governor, or the fucking president, is about "public service." There are public servants, like the teachers everybody dumps on these days, but people with high paying cushy jobs which virtually guarantee them a lifetime of future even cushier even more high paying jobs are hardly making some sort of sacrifice for good. [emphasis mine]Dear lord, I feel this just about every damn day I open the paper or turn on the cable box or read some dumb-ass nonsense from some think-tanky blogger somewhere.
I know I'm not perfect. Everyone I've ever worked with knows they're not perfect. Every teacher I've ever had more than a passing conversation with knows we're not perfect. We want to get better. We know how high the stakes are - dear God, please stop telling us how high the stakes are, we get it already.
We're the ones who have to look into these kids' faces every day. We're the ones who have to call home when there's a problem. We're the ones who have to put that grade on the report card. You think we don't want to give everyone an "A"? You think that wouldn't make our lives easier?
We know there are slackers - do you think we're happy to work with these people? Of course we want them gone, but you know what? Those of us who've been around the block a few times know those people aren't going to last in the classroom anyway (and it's not like everyone on your job is so great). Let us take care of it; you people need to start cleaning up your own messes.
What we teachers are all getting so sick and damn tired of is a bunch of wonks and posers and pols and pundits running around in fancy suits telling everyone how we're the problem (but they love us!). Yet not one of these people - all of whom are making way more than we do - has the guts to do our job.
I have a college education and two masters degrees, and I make five-figures a year. I get a small pension that's been frozen, the same health care I'd get if I worked at a bank, and no paycheck for two months a year. I'm not complaining: I knew the trade off going in. What angers me is that you tools of the 0.1% keep telling the rubes that my modest compensation is somehow outrageous - as if teachers are the plutocrats.
You people need to back the hell off. When you're able to do your own jobs, you'll have earned the right to criticize us. But you politicians can't even balance the budget without cutting medical care for old people. You posers couldn't even run your own school districts (talking to you, Rhee and Klein). You wonks can't even keep your flavor of the month reform straight. You pundits can't even get the basic facts of the argument right. Fix your own messes before you come after us.
Shut up, go away, and let us teach. You have nothing to say to us we don't already know. You're useless. Go away.
Just stay out of our way - all of you.