Daniel replies:
I do not think teachers suck as a group. To do so would be ridiculous, and contrary to the facts. However, ""You can't deny another person's real experience."" My own experience was that I had two good teachers in all of high school, and possibly four in elementary and secondary school. It is also my experience that over 37 years of writing books for children, I have received a great many communications from teachers, and school classes. Some of these have been wonderful, and demonstrate exciting things going on--they make me proud that books I've written can be utilized in the work of education. At the same time, many letters from teachers and classes suggest something quite different. I have no idea of the ratio of good to bad, but I have to conclude that some teachers are dedicated, energetic and creative, take real joy in helping students develop their abilities, and explore the world of knowledge and understanding--and in the same profession are ignorant, unmannerly, lazy and repressive individuals, whose students need to struggle in order to keep their minds alive. Pretending that all teachers are competent and motivated people would seem to me to be one way to keep the bad ones doing what they do. Any time I write something which takes a critical view of a teacher or my own teachers, I get letters from teachers undertaking to speak for the whole profession, complaining, accusing me of being a ""complainer,"" (which role I am happy to play), and as in your case, suggesting that draconian regulations are keeping teachers, (who are all good), from doing their best. I think this closing-ranks kind of letter is disingenuous. I much prefer the letters which say, ""Half my colleagues are brain-dead, drooling idiots, and I, and the teachers who actually want to teach, have to work around them. Thanks for writing books which help in a small way.""