Life Membership for Veterans Question

tstryk wrote:

AKSuperDually wrote:


I'm sure you meant it as a joke, and meant no harm. I simply see no comparison of a teacher to a veteran. Especially a combat veteran.

I did not mean it as a joke. You see no comparison, because you have never taught. I hold veterans in high regard, especially combat veterans - we owe them our freedom. HOWEVER - we owe teachers our freedom and success, also.

I was trying to be nice.

No. You are wrong, we do not owe teachers our freedom. In fact, a very logical argument could be made that much of political climate change in this country is due to teachers. The education system as a whole is very broken in this country. There are thousands of good teachers doing their best to persevere through a corrupt system. But there are also thousands of teachers teaching an agenda.

I have taught. I don't consider myself a teacher, I substituted part-time in a private school setting. I've also instructed on the collegiate level in a trade school. I've spent considerable amounts of time (almost 6 years) working with youth ages 13-20, directing camps and working as a dean. All of those experiences have only re-enforced the statements I've made in this post. I have 4 close friends who are full-time accredited teachers, 2, high school, 1 middle, 1 elementary. All are counting days to get out from under an oppressive union and administration. 1 is giving it all up this year, essentially writing off her masters degree to start over in another career after 10 years of teaching.

As a combat veteran myself, who has friends who aren't here any more, I'll ask you. How many of your teaching brethren gave their lives, and left their families only to never return? How many of your fellow teachers live with permanent injuries from sacrifices made in life or death situations in the line of duty?

Again, I'm sure you made personal sacrifices, and served above and beyond your job description, well in excess of your pay. Good teachers tend to do that. (Although, again here, I'm being nice and giving you the benefit of the doubt) I don't think my job was more important than yours, it isn't a contest...someone has to teach, someone has to defend our country. We all have roles to play.

It boils down to this for me. Don't spit on the graves of my friends by attempting to compare your job to their sacrifice. If you don't support a discount for veterans because you don't get one for being a teacher, that's fine. No veteran is asking for one. Another difference. You asked. We didn't.