# Teaching Applicant



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

After being interviewed by the county school administrator, the bright and 
eager young teaching prospect said:

"Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with
all those kids, and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning,
and I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, modify their
disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and even censor
their T-shirt messages and dress habits.

You want me to wage a war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases,
check their backpacks for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their 
self-esteem. You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship,
sportsmanship, fair play then confiscate their cell phones. I must teach 
them how to register to vote, how to balance a check book, and how to 
apply for a good job.

I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize
signs of anti-social behavior, make sure all students pass the state exams, 
even those students who don't come to school regularly or complete any 
of their assignments.

Plus, I must make sure that all of the students with a variety of handicaps 
get an equal education regardless of the extent of their mental or physical
handicap. I am to communicate regularly with parents by letter, telephone, 
newsletter and report card.

All of this I am to do with just a piece of chalk, an obsolete computer, a few
books, a bulletin board, a big smile, without ever touching a student, and on 
a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps! You want me to do 
all of this and then you tell me...

I CAN'T PRAY?"


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## Danny R (Jul 5, 2002)

Nobody is stopping the teacher from praying. Nobody is stopping the children from praying.

What the applicant is really asking is "I can't force my students to pray?"

Not certain why you posted in the humor forum, as this is just ignorant drivel pushed by those who want organized school prayer foisted on kids. (as long as its THEIR prayers, not a different religions!)

What folks tend to forget is that it wasn't just athiests who asked schools to stop organized prayer, but the catholics, protestants, jehovah's witness and other groups who strongly disagreed with the prayers being said by those in charge.


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## Bogy (Mar 23, 2002)

Old time teachers have told me about what was required of them. Chop the wood, carry in the coal, keep the fire in the stove going, and break the ice in the water bucket. Severe restrictions on female teachers seeing men, and if they somehow did meet one, being forced to retire when they were married. When my mother was a teacher, in preparation for her own wedding to my father, she moved back home with her parents to save money. The school board cut her monthly salary from $100 to $90, since she was living at home and wouldn't need so much for living expenses.
They also got to check for lice, instill patriotism, and teach the Bible. Ever wonder why the Catholics in particular established their own schools? Because the "public schools" were the Protestant Schools.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Danny R said:


> Nobody is stopping the teacher from praying. Nobody is stopping the children from praying...


The irony here, Danny, is that you apparently didn't catch the irony of the story. :shrug:

Bogy gets it.


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## cdru (Dec 4, 2003)

I debated teaching when I started college. But then I realized I could make more money, have a life during the evenings 9 months out of the year, and surf the web all day long on satellite forums by being a computer science major.

I come to work to get away from my 3 kids. I can't imagine leaving my 3 kids just to be with 30 of someone elses. At least I still have corporal punishment at home...


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## Bogy (Mar 23, 2002)

My second daughter will be doing her student teaching this year. To start off, when she graduates it looks like she will be teaching for the Peace Corp for two years. Possibly in Jordan.


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

I used to know a fellow who conducted tours to Jordan.


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