TEACHERS: The ugly truths

Sherri Ybarra’s guest opinion to the Coeur d’Alene Press was interesting but ultimately, naive. She wants more teachers? First of all, she should ask the people who want to teach more teachers in North Idaho why they don’t open the doors a little wider. North Idaho teaching schools have very tight rules on how they allow people to enter their teaching schools.

First, they prefer Christians.

Second, they don’t like people who are individuals. So much for all this talk about the Wild West and this biker BS about loving individualism. No teacher can be an individual. A teacher has to be an absolute, utter, total conformist. Be a zombie. Never speak a word that doesn’t conform to the societal norm.

Third, you have to be ugly. If you are too thin, all those women you work with who wear clothes that they stole from grandma’s attic will hate you. The ones who have to turn sideways when they come in the door will hate you, too.

Fourth, be stupid. What, did you ever read a book besides some Christian romance novel? Did you read the newspaper this morning? You actually read Shakespeare or some poetry once? Oh, that’s unforgivable! The only poetry we allow is some crap like Service.

Fifth, we don’t tolerate any kind of dissent. This is the Teachers Union’s version of the Catholic Church. No one can speak out of turn. No one can speak out at all.

Sixth, nepotism rules. To get hired on permanently, ya gotta know somebody who knows somebody.

Frankly, after my years as a substitute, I’m disgusted with the system in general. The pay was so bad I regarded it as charity work. A man on day-labor who had just gotten out of prison would have made more than I did. But that’s the North Idaho way. No woman’s work has value, even the work of a woman with a degree. Women here are still regarded as less than dogs or horses. Oh, wait. I forgot to mention lawnmowers and motorcycles.

If Ms. Ybarra wants more teachers, she’d better examine the school district from the inside out, and that includes those horrible harridans who have ruled the system for far too long.

BETSY ROSENBERG

Rathdrum