Griping Teachers & Bad Grammar

Katy Grimes: Sitting in the Capitol lunchroom Wednesday after the big Senate education hearing, I overheard some interesting comments from the teachers union activists.

Wearing matching blue t-shirts that read, “CTA – We Are One,” it was evident that these weren’t your father’s teachers.

And they weren’t like any of the wonderful elementary and middle school teachers that I had.

The bad attitude, and sense of entitlement has been in abundance at the Capitol this week coming from the teachers.

One teacher, when joined by another carrying a lunch tray, said, “Save your receipts – they’ll reimburse.” I am assuming that the California Teachers Association or California Teachers Federation will be reimbursing the expenses of traveling teachers… judging by the many private buses outside of the Capitol, it’s an all-expenses paid trip.

“I’ve been eating good all week – figured I’d just eat here today,” replied the fellow teacher who joined her. (Wonderful grammar from a teacher)

As others filed in, introductions were skipped and instead one asked, “Where do you work at?” Another asked, “Where you at?” when discussing the schools and districts in which they work. (More good grammar – I hope they aren’t English teachers)

When looking for a place to sit, one teacher said, “It’s just like your classroom – just shove a few more in and you’ll make it work.”

The reply was, “If they increase our classes to 35 or 40, that will get to me — that will be it.”

This was just the lunchroom – I heard many conversations just like these in the elevators, in the hallways, and in the hearing rooms.

Is this what the teaching profession has become? If they are represented the way that every other union represents employees, the poorest performing teachers are protected and promoted, while those who excel, languish.

And before anyone becomes too worked up about my critique of the teachers, my parents were public school teachers – for more than 30 years. We were required to speak grammatically correct English in my home, and by my teachers when I was a child.

Never end a sentence with a preposition…

MAY 12, 2011