Hollywood Librul Shows His Temper

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Actor Matt Damon defends teacher tenure in testy exchange

Actor Matt Damon got into a tense exchange with a journalist from the libertarian Reason TV site after she asked him whether teachers with tenure would lack incentive to work hard at their jobs.

The journalist argued that Damon has an incentive to work hard as an actor because he lacks job security, while teachers do not.

"You think job insecurity makes me work hard?" the actor asked in disbelief. "A teacher wants to teach. Why else would you take a sh*tty salary and really long hours and do that job unless you really love to do it?"

Damon was speaking at Sunday's Save Our Schools rally, where thousands of teachers and educators descended on Washington D.C. to protest the Obama administration's education policies. The rally wasn't organized by either of the major teachers' unions, according to the Washington Post's Valerie Strauss, but was a grassroots protest against the focus on standardized testing, No Child Left Behind, and what protesters say is the scapegoating of teachers for problems such as childhood poverty.

Damon was asked by his mother, a child development expert, to speak at the rally. You can read his speech here.

[_Simpson_ 250]

Why is it that here in the US when it comes to teachers we hold them on a pedestal, like they're above our human ways. I understand they have a important job but come on not every teacher skips to work with their sword and shield in tow. Matt Damon takes this attitude and it makes me laugh. Also I dont buy that he lacks job security; sure it might not be the work he wants but still job security is not a issue.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

NCLB, Standardized testing, etc. are all jokes and should be done away with for the most part.

Expecting every child to fall in line with every other child is ridiculous and absurd. There are smart kids out there that learn in different ways than others. Smart kids that don't work well with conforming to societal norms.

One of the worst things we can do for our children is having standardized tests be the pass/fail points of their education. How can you fail a child that makes straight A's on everything and then can't take a ridiculous test?

Once kids reach the high school age, the education really should be more specialized than what it is now. You leave so many kids in the dark and so many more bored out of their minds who just don't want to be there. Of course what do you expect when there's an entitlement mentality in regards to education. It doesn't work, and it can't work.

Of course the education system isn't there to educate people at all. It's there to make them good little obedient citizens at the end of the day. If you're smarter than that, good for you. You can help continue the trend of keeping the sheep in line.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Why is it that here in the US when it comes to teachers we hold them on a pedestal, like they're above our human ways. I understand they have a important job but come on not every teacher skips to work with their sword and shield in tow. Matt Damon takes this attitude and it makes me laugh. Also I dont buy that he lacks job security; sure it might not be the work he wants but still job security is not a issue.

Educating our children is one of the most important jobs in this country, yet we feel they deserve to be paid one of the lowest salaries. I have the utmost respect for teachers, because I wouldnt' do it ever again, at least not for that salary. For many, it really is a calling. I don't agree with the teachers union most of the time, but seriously, we need to pay teachers more to attract better candidates.

[_Simpson_ 250]

Educating our children is one of the most important jobs in this country, yet we feel they deserve to be paid one of the lowest salaries. I have the utmost respect for teachers, because I wouldnt' do it ever again, at least not for that salary. For many, it really is a calling. I don't agree with the teachers union most of the time, but seriously, we need to pay teachers more to attract better candidates.

The point I was trying to make was that there human like the rest of us and we need to weed out the bad seeds. I have the utmost respect for everyone who goes out there and works their a s ses off on a daily basis. I know electricians that make about the same as a teachers a year and they're not less important just because there not teaching kids. Teachers are human quit acting like there Gods.

Edited August 3, 2011 by _Simpson_

[^_^ 5,021]

... quit acting like there Gods.

where?

[_Simpson_ 250]

Wait a minute...Rob is/was a teacher...Oh Dear God!!! States or UK?

where?

Does this make you feel smart? I find it pathetic.

[^_^ 5,021]

Wait a minute...Rob is/was a teacher...Oh Dear God!!! States or UK?

Does this make you feel smart? I find it pathetic.

No, you making the same mistake every time is what's pathetic. It shows these aren't just typos. You really have no clue.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I thought it was interesting for the Libertarian journalist to link performance with pay, but not then realize that following that logic, if teachers are underpaid, then they under-perform.

[_Simpson_ 250]

No, you making the same mistake every time is what's pathetic. It shows these aren't just typos. You really have no clue.

No AJ you're the one without a clue. This is a post I made in this thread on this page -

come on not every teacher skips to work with their sword and shield in tow.

Do you see what I see? All this proves is that I was in hurry not that I don't have a clue. Pathetic that you must resort to grammar instead of addressing the issue at hand.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Educating our children is one of the most important jobs in this country, yet we feel they deserve to be paid one of the lowest salaries. I have the utmost respect for teachers, because I wouldnt' do it ever again, at least not for that salary. For many, it really is a calling. I don't agree with the teachers union most of the time, but seriously, we need to pay teachers more to attract better candidates.

look at what we pay congressman and senators. That sure does attract GREAT candidates!

I get what you're saying, but at the same time if you pay them too much, then you run the exact same risk. Teaching should always be about the want/passion.

Honestly, schools should pull funding out of competitive sports and make those extra-curricular only. It would open up a lot more money for teachers salaries. The biggest problem facing school districts and paying teachers more, usually is mis-management of funds. I'd sarifice one of the 5 vice-principles if it gave the 30 teachers in a school an extra $2000/yr.

[B_J 2,752]

look at what we pay congressman and senators. That sure does attract GREAT candidates!

I get what you're saying, but at the same time if you pay them too much, then you run the exact same risk. Teaching should always be about the want/passion.

Honestly, schools should pull funding out of competitive sports and make those extra-curricular only. It would open up a lot more money for teachers salaries. The biggest problem facing school districts and paying teachers more, usually is mis-management of funds. I'd sarifice one of the 5 vice-principles if it gave the 30 teachers in a school an extra $2000/yr.

As a teacher, I have to tell you, your two posts in this thread have made a lot of sense.

[^_^ 5,021]

No AJ you're the one without a clue. This is a post I made in this thread on this page -

Do you see what I see? All this proves is that I was in hurry not that I don't have a clue. Pathetic that you must resort to grammar instead of addressing the issue at hand.

When you make the same mistake all the time, it can't be explained away as carelessness.

[Golden Gate 530]

Why is it that here in the US when it comes to teachers we hold them on a pedestal, like they're above our human ways. I understand they have a important job but come on not every teacher skips to work with their sword and shield in tow. Matt Damon takes this attitude and it makes me laugh. Also I dont buy that he lacks job security; sure it might not be the work he wants but still job security is not a issue.

Teachers are definately NOT held on a pedestal here, the way they are respected in most other countries. On the contrary, perhaps if parents respected them a little more, they would listen to what the teacher is saying and help encourage their children to study and become better students, instead of letting them play video games all the time at home and be on facebook constantly, among other things. Instead, they expect teachers to do their job as parent for them.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Wait a minute...Rob is/was a teacher...Oh Dear God!!! States or UK?

Yes Simpson, I was a teacher for a very brief time. I taught special education (Grade 4 and 5). I quit because the pay is #######, and the parents made the job unbearable.

look at what we pay congressman and senators. That sure does attract GREAT candidates!

I get what you're saying, but at the same time if you pay them too much, then you run the exact same risk. Teaching should always be about the want/passion.

Honestly, schools should pull funding out of competitive sports and make those extra-curricular only. It would open up a lot more money for teachers salaries. The biggest problem facing school districts and paying teachers more, usually is mis-management of funds. I'd sarifice one of the 5 vice-principles if it gave the 30 teachers in a school an extra $2000/yr.

You do realize that comparing teachers to congress is absurd. Congress is publicly elected, so you can blame the poor candidates on.... well, yourselves. Teachers are vetted and selected based on merit (theoretically).

LOL Paul, I agree with you that sports shouldn't receive as much funding as they do, but look where you live. Do you really think it would fly in Texas?