There's a great editorial in the New York Times today that delves into this -- it is fantastically interesting. But honestly, I think there are a couple of other reasons as well:
1) Our country is anti-intellectual, and pretty vehemently so. For goodness sake, we judge presidential quality based on who you want to have a beer with rather than who would be able to make the best decisions concerning multifactorial issues. We have Senators who plagiarize and yet there is no outrage, just anger that nit-picky journalists and professors would care about something so unimportant. (!) When talking with a stranger, I am much more comfortable telling them I am a teacher than a professor -- there is an immediate ooze of disapproval in response to the words, "I am a professor." From anti-evolutionists, to climate-change-deniers, to the Obama birther people -- data and facts don't matter. Critical thinking? That's for weaklings. The power of conviction is all that matters. If you believe it, and I mean really believe it, then it must absolutely be right. And changing your mind after thoughtful deliberation? That's for sissies. Which brings me to...
2) Sexism. Elementary and high school teachers are primarily women, and our culture doesn't value the work that women do as highly as we do men's work. By definition then, teaching isn't important. And since women apparently aren't good at math and science, well, then they clearly can't teach those subjects well. But why should that matter? Facts are irrelevant, see point #1.
Ok, stepping down from my soap box now.
1) Our country is anti-intellectual, and pretty vehemently so. For goodness sake, we judge presidential quality based on who you want to have a beer with rather than who would be able to make the best decisions concerning multifactorial issues. We have Senators who plagiarize and yet there is no outrage, just anger that nit-picky journalists and professors would care about something so unimportant. (!) When talking with a stranger, I am much more comfortable telling them I am a teacher than a professor -- there is an immediate ooze of disapproval in response to the words, "I am a professor." From anti-evolutionists, to climate-change-deniers, to the Obama birther people -- data and facts don't matter. Critical thinking? That's for weaklings. The power of conviction is all that matters. If you believe it, and I mean really believe it, then it must absolutely be right. And changing your mind after thoughtful deliberation? That's for sissies. Which brings me to...
2) Sexism. Elementary and high school teachers are primarily women, and our culture doesn't value the work that women do as highly as we do men's work. By definition then, teaching isn't important. And since women apparently aren't good at math and science, well, then they clearly can't teach those subjects well. But why should that matter? Facts are irrelevant, see point #1.
Ok, stepping down from my soap box now.
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