Misconception #4: Teachers don’t get the respect that they deserve

This misconception has been replaced since it was originally written. Since this was technically true but due to a combination of two misconceptions, I have decided to split the post into the two misconceptions that make this true. The new posts can be found below:

Misconception #4: Teachers don't get respect
Misconception #63: Teachers deserve to be among the world's most respected professions

Perhaps teachers are right when they insist that they don’t get the respect that they deserve. The statement as a whole is valid. Of course, two misconceptions lead to the accuracy of the complaint.

We treat teachers as though they are single-handedly responsible for all that is right for the world. Maybe a few people don’t treat them like that, but the overall support for our teachers is far from insignificant. For the most part, we put blind faith in their ability to make this world a better place. Many people view it as the most important profession around. Teachers have a lot of respect in this world.

How much respect do teachers deserve? None. There is still no evidence that teachers are doing society one bit of good. History, observation, and common sense actually provide evidence to the contrary. Maybe we can fixate on details that make the schools look valuable, but the bigger picture is a lot scarier. Teachers have eliminated educational rights and have turned any unique individual into an outcast. As a result, progress has dried up and common sense seems to have faded out of existence. I don’t think that there’s any doubt that teaching is by far the most destructive profession around.

Teachers deserve no respect, but they get plenty. I guess that means that teachers are right when they say that they don’t get the respect that they deserve. Although the argument is technically accurate, they are completely wrong when it comes to the reasoning behind it.