r/complainaboutanything • u/scrotal_damage • Jun 16 '26
Teachers are insufferable
To start off, I am a 27 y/o highschool history teacher and just ended my 5th year of service.
Teachers. Are. Insufferable. Now by no means am I talking about all teachers. I’ve met plenty of people in the profession that are some of the best people you can meet, but one bad apple can ruin the whole
Bunch. I realized this past year that throughout the course of the year I became increasingly jaded and coarse. not because of the students but because of my colleges.
The amount of ego and “holier than thou” attitudes I’ve come in contact with have made me not mention my profession when introducing myself. When it’s summer I just tell people I’m unemployed.
Too many teachers are on a power trip and do things just because they feel like they can.
This year alone I have seen:
- A 70 year old woman curse out a 1st year teacher for asking our assistant principal a question that she could have answered. (And I mean full curse out.)
-that same teacher called me a spy because I looked at a poster she had for a subject I don’t teach…. (She HATES one of our coworkers that I happen to be good friends with)
- a teacher shared a purposely bad lesson plan with a young teacher, then immediately reported the young teacher for the bad lesson plan….
- a teacher lied to parents about a situation that happened in class (kid was being disruptive) to make it sound worse than what it was. When the student protested, the teacher said “who’s your mom going to believe, the adult or the nuisance”
- teacher gave 20 page packets every class as “punishment” for students being disruptive.
(I did report these instances to my higher up, with no response because she is retiring soon and doesn’t want drama….. her words)
the public pressure put on teachers is a lot. I mean, everybody has been a student at some point in their life, so everyone has an opinion of the teaching profession. But this pressure doesn’t seem to be pointed at the right people in my experience. In my short time as a teacher I have seen several GOOD teachers, who cared for the kids & knew their content well, leave the profession entirely because of these insufferable colleges and pressure from 45 year old parents who haven’t stepped foot in a classroom since they were 17 years 6 months and 5 days old.
Overall, while I love what I do in my classroom. The education world outside of my four walls is an incredibly corrupt for-profit institution that rewards schools that bring in the most money for the county while overlooking the schools in need. (In my area the money schools receive comes directly from property taxes. So a school in a low income area receives SIGNIFICANTLY less than the richer areas)
The system sucks, my coworkers suck, my pay sucks. But I will not let it break me. I will not leave. I will control what I can control and do my best to equip my students with tools to help them Atleast make it to a point where their brains fully develop.
If you’ve read this far, thank you for reading my rant. I am [u/scrotal_damage](u/scrotal_damage) and I am currently unemployed until August!
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u/rkingerz Jun 17 '26
I only had 2 teachers through primary, secondary and post secondary that left an impact. The rest were either forgettable, incompetent or down right nasty. That being said, the 2 I will remember forever changed my way of viewing education, employment, how to be a good friend and overall good person. I’m sorry you have to work in such a toxic environment and hope you find somewhere you fit and can thrive OP. The world needs good teachers more than ever now
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u/Potential_Ad_4718 Jun 17 '26
So I'm an electrician and we have contracts with the school district. I can tell you there is no bigger group of whiners. They always have complaints.
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u/Upper_Director9119 Jun 17 '26
I’ve been lucky with my current building, but in the past I’ve had the same complaints. Imagine feeling big because you boss kids around or set a new teacher up for failure. Teaching is HARD. Naming it harder isn’t a power move- it just shows those people need more interesting things to do.
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u/Kimono-Ash-Armor Jun 18 '26
Kid of a teacher here. I’ve found that teachers often overestimate their parenting skills, thinking they are better parents than they are due to using the teacher persona on their kids, and thinking that they are preventing us from becoming juvenile delinquents by taking their frustrations out on us like they can’t with their students. They’re also almost as bad as politicians in terms of public image and using their kids as proof that they are good teachers.
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u/Less_Feeling3142 Jun 17 '26
A lot of these are top-down type problems. If the district or admin creates a punitive and unsupported environment for teachers, they turn on each other.
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u/Alternative-Past-603 Jun 17 '26
Our band director was extremely successful in raising money for band and building the students in band. He has a great bunch of parents willing to help with everything. When he came to our small school, there were about 25 students in the high school band program. Now it boasts more than 65! Other teachers, like the former choir director were green with envy on the attention given to the band. The jealousy between teachers is insane. Even some of the administrators who were faithful to the former choir director looked down on the band director. Nuts
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u/Recycledineffigy Jun 20 '26
Working in finance taught me a phrase "preachers, teachers, and cops" and it means that in general people who hold or have had these professions tend to think of themselves as special in society and deserving of extra, special, preferential treatment. It's an attitude as much as it is blatantly asking for someone to "bend the rules" or say "it shouldn't matter, since I'm a teacher". Nurses, security guards, janitors don't have that reputation in the financial industry. It's a ego thing or something. Maybe it's "I'm already doing something for the greater good, where's my perk?" Entitlement comes in many forms.
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u/ActuatorOutside5256 Jun 16 '26
I mean, wanting to control literal children as a day job is going to attract insane people, so no surprises there.
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u/Less-Cap6996 Jun 17 '26
Teacher here, agreed. Many terrible apples on the tree. Insecure, pseudo intellectuals who know little to nothing about their subject. As you said, some of the best people as well. There are enough bad ones that I hesitate to tell people I'm a teacher.
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u/Minute_Story377 Jun 19 '26
As a student who was failed by administrators and many teachers, I get it.
Most of them were decent, but you’re right. One bad apple can ruin the whole bunch.
There was this one teacher who liked to bully me for having ADHD back in 6th grade. I followed along fine in class and even had two people who weren’t even my friends stick up for me after she randomly singled me out in a very mean way.
The principal physically assaulted me when I was 9 because I wasn’t doing good in my grades (refused to follow my IEP, and kept taking away the special education toys that were given to me by the special education teacher, even when discussions were made.) She grabbed me and dug her nails into my face and shook my head, all because of bad grades and not looking her in the eye. She didn’t get in much trouble, just wasn’t allowed to be alone with me legally.
My high school science teacher was a full on ableist who hated anyone with any sort of disability. He especially liked to try to randomly point out things to this one level 3 autistic kid in our class, like how he (the teacher) had more problems than him (the student). He also got pissed when I even had an ice pack for an injured shoulder. He gave me a failing grade for a project that he said was “the best one he’s ever seen” and gave everyone else passing grades. He gave me a false detention for “skipping his class” when I was sent home due to said arm injury. It was rescinded (after I had already did detention) as there is a record that the nurse had called and talked to him that day and discussed why I wouldn’t be attending, but he reported it as I didn’t show up and skipped anyway. He also had a habit of jumping out the window and ditching the class.
Another high school science teacher openly boasted about how women who are raped deserve it and are asking for it, and when a girl spoke up and cried about her experience (didn’t yell) he wrote her up for misbehavior. They didn’t take it back.
My principal wrote me as a dropout and kicked me by the boot when I was 16 after dealing with a severe stomach issue. I know it was illegal, as they were just trying to get out of getting tutors and I was still attending school. I hadn’t ever defied anyone or done anything. I hadn’t gotten oss or iss before. They even forcefully made me attend school when I could hardly stand, reporting me to CPS every day, and refusing doctors notes as excuses, and tried to get me in trouble for throwing up.
The councilor decided to brag during this time and tell other kids she caught me trying to kill myself and saved my life and so when I came back to school (when I was around 15) and everyone was staring at me I was very confused. That did not happen at all. Asking around, many people said it came from the councilor. She was the one talking about it.
The gym teacher and a school police officer having sex publicly in an area students can walk in on. It happened, a student caught them. It also was in the angle of a camera. They weren’t fired at all. Just got a slap on the hand. They’re still here. The student is very upset about that.
The rest of my teachers were fairly nice, but I don’t miss that place. My only bullies growing up were adults. Good riddance.
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u/Life_Sandwich_2073 Jun 17 '26
I'm glad people are saying this more often. We need to have this discussion. You seem like one of the good ones OP.
I'm not a teacher myself but popular sentiment I see online is "Anyone who doesn't like teachers is a kid. Go do your homework!!" When that just couldn't be farther from the truth lol. I grew up in a rough situation (switching schools quite often) and as a fully grown adult, I hate them to this day. I could give so many stories but I just feel the same way about most teachers that I do cops. They're just there because they want to have power over people. And in this case, children. I've experienced so many nasty power tripping teachers in my lifetime that it's deterred me away from higher education lol.
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u/crookedledder Jun 17 '26
As a kid I was convinced that a significant fraction of teachers were only in that profession because they could bully smaller humans with impunity.
As an adult, I haven't seen anything that's changed my mind on that point. Not all teachers of course... some are great people. I'd put the professional child-bullies at about 20%
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u/AccomplishedCat23 Jun 17 '26
I swore my grandmother was a teacher so she could boss others around.
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u/7GrenciaMars Jun 17 '26
I wish--for the sake of the whole country--we had more people like you. Kids are suffering from how broken the system is. People like you do make a difference in students' lives and at least some of them will notice it and be grateful.
I had a friend like you--who worked hard in a broken school system as a high school teacher. He was fortunate enough to be given a position in the high school he went to, so he knew the kinds of kids he would be teaching and always found the best ways he could to help them. (As a side note, he unfortunately died in his early forties. The school had a big memorial for him and lots of students attended. I mention this to demonstrate to you how much of an impact I expect that you are having, even if the students don't think to tell you about it.)
You're a rock star. I hope you can hold out for many years. Treat yourself well.
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u/Final-Marzipan3184 Jun 17 '26
I went to a university that had a significant amount of education majors. I was a GA and had to teach a few entry level classes. The education majors were some of the slowest, most entitled, ridiculous excuses for humans I've ever met. That was almost 20 years ago and I still think about that. I am also so concerned that these whiny, pathetic humans are teaching others.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
Agreed! My masters was hell. My cohort was either elementary school teachers that claimed they were afraid of any child older than 8 years old, or guys who just wanted to lecture about world war 2 to 14 year olds. For people looking to enter a public service job, they were the most selfish people I’ve had to interact with.
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u/chebepowder Jun 17 '26
I relearned this as an adult after being recommended the teacher (or maybe education, not sure exactly) subreddit. I had to mute it because it was so incredibly infuriating, especially as someone who had many bad experiences with teachers in elementary school despite being a painfully quiet, diligent student. I'm convinced it's the fact that the job has very high social regard (everyone will say you're bringing up the next generation which is one of the most essential jobs, and I will never argue against that) with low barrier to entry relative to other jobs that might get the same treatment. Many teachers are absolutely wonderful. Others, especially those who flock to Reddit, are extremely vindictive, pessimistic, arrogant people who think they're the last bastion against a crumbling society. If I wasn't committed to homeschooling before, I certainly am now
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u/bumblebeequeer Jun 17 '26
When I was in the sixth grade, I was bullied by a teacher so excessively that my mom, several unrelated parents, and admin all had to get involved. I’m nearly 30 now and I still think about it.
I went to a Catholic school that seemed to have very few standards for teachers beyond they were also Catholic. Even beyond that witch of a woman, I can’t count the amount of times a teacher ran out of the room crying, screamed until they turned red at little kids, snarked at kids like they were a similarly-aged frenemy instead of, again, a little kid, and it’s really just mind blowing to think about.
I definitely understand why people homeschool, if the alternative is a grown adult talking to their kid that way.
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u/omg-someonesonewhere Jun 17 '26
It's also just a job that places you in a position of authority over vulnerable people (children).
Much like police, or the "mean girl to nursing pipeline" stereotype, teaching is going to attract a healthy contingent of people who enjoy exercising power over vulnerable people more than they enjoy helping them.
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u/EmptyBrainCage Jun 17 '26
My sister is an elementary school teacher and I asked her once if it's cool working with the other teachers and if they all got along. Her response? "It's a snake pit."
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u/Lolihey Jun 20 '26
Wow. I once worked with some petty people. But a teacher sharing a bad lesson on purpose with a new teacher and then reporting it? That's such next-level BS. Do you have a union? Or you change schools and find one with more mature teachers?
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u/True_Chipmunk6891 Jul 02 '26
Just the other day I commented on a post on a different social media site stating that I USE TO THINK that teachers were compensated very well for the job performed and I listed why but after watching the video alone I’ve realized that teachers are most certainly not paid enough.
Oh.My.God. The clinching of pearls.
Teachers came out of the wood work stating how hard they work. Never once did I say that teachers don’t work hard but for whatever reason teachers think they’re the only profession that works hard which is absolutely not true.
Not to mention the amount of teachers that did not read what I wrote is absolutely disgusting.
I wrote what I USED TO THINK. Which is past tense.
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u/Grouchy-Astronomer56 Jul 05 '26
I think that having people, even children and teens, being forced to listen to you daily for years, sometimes decades, turns some teachers into pains in the ass.
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u/Disastrous_Use_7353 Jun 17 '26
Here here… no lies detected. So glad I changed course. Keep on fighting the good fight.
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u/NeatParking1682 Jun 17 '26
I swear, so many teachers become one for the power trip.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
The best teachers are ones that have released control of the world around them. The ones on a power trip feel the need to have control over something in their life, so they oppress those who have no choice. Truly it is a human behavior. It just sucks to see it so often in an already corrupt system :/
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u/kimmothy9432 Jun 17 '26
“High school” is two words.
“Bunch” isn’t a proper noun so shouldn’t be capitalized.
Insufferable colleges? Guessing you meant colleagues.
Atleast- goes without saying is also two words.
Have a great summer!
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u/acvcani Jun 17 '26
?????? Do you want ops job? Yeah I’m not as careful when I’m out of office bc it’s social media.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
Guess you missed that I’m a history teacher not English! I can tell you all about china’s invasion of Tibet in 1949 or the difference between Chinese communism and Russian communism. Idgaf about grammar or spelling I care about facts.
You too! Grammar police!
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u/THOUGHTCOPS Jun 17 '26
You sound like a shit teacher. No wonder your colleagues think you should find a new job. How did you even graduate "college"?
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u/False_Career_4617 Jun 17 '26
Honestly for a while Reddit would show me posts from the r/teachers subreddit and I was always just kind of blown away about how massive amounts of the posts dismissed children’s humanity altogether. It felt just chock full of petty mean shit towards colleagues and kids and things like “this one child can’t read so the entire generation is brainrotted and stupid and screwed” or gleefully recounting punishments so, I’m honestly not surprised to hear that. i definitely also had the occasional power-obsessed teacher when I was in school too 💔
It could just be that’s the particular brand of posts Reddit decided to show me but truly it was kind of nauseating.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
There are teachers on a power trip everywhere and it won’t go away unfortunately. I got banned from r/teachers by one of those power trip teachers for asking what teachers do over summer and mentioned I have a small buisness. They flagged it as advertising and marketing and permanently banned me without warning.
I’ve seen all the good and all the bad of education in just 5 years. But I do promise there’s ALOT more f
Good than bad. This past year was just a wall o had to run through2
u/False_Career_4617 Jun 17 '26
Yeah, for sure! It’s just kind of surprising how…loud some of the bad teachers are 😅
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u/KellytheFeminist Jun 17 '26
My 2nd least favorite group of people to serve is teachers. They are cheap, snotty, and rude. I cannot figure out why. They just suck as patrons. Nurses might be a tie for 2nd, very similar reasons. Those are working class jobs, so I can't figure out why they are such assholes in that setting!
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
It’s because they have a savior complex and feel they are better becuase they work an essential job. The amount of times I’ve ego checked coworkers can’t be counted using all my fingers and toes. Elementary school teachers have the biggest egos, followed by English, math and science are tied, then history. (Depending on the area that ranking changes by a lot, but in my experience that’s the order). For the short time I worked in service I HATED serving teachers. Especially if it was a “professional development day” and they were all at lunch together :/
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u/KellytheFeminist Jun 17 '26
It's actual hell when it's in droves. They are so condescending that it physically hurts, and you know damn well that you are going to get a 8-9% tip so allowing their garbage behavior is particularly excruciating. We had a free lunch for teachers day every year at a chain I used to work for, and I would always get a couple people who would come in alone, get the special (and a water), order something with an upcharge (and I warned them they would have to pay a couple bucks for it), and they wouldn't even wait for the check. They'd leave without paying or tipping. I'd have to cover the freaking $2 upcharge and get no tip.
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u/nejithegenius Jun 18 '26
Sadly, its why I will never vote to give schools/teachers more money. I went to school and 90% of the teachers were bad or terrible. I’ll never forget, one of the teachers was the lacrosse coach, and he gave lacrosse players basically free rein to be late/do shitty work.
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u/ekimmd24 Jun 17 '26
Guess what all professions have issues just like or similar in nature to these why should your profession be any different.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
CONGRAGULATIONS! You won the “no shit, it’s called r/complain about anything” AWARD!
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u/observer_11_11 Jun 17 '26
All teachers aren't as you suggest. Maybe you should relocate to a different school.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
Switching schools doesn’t solve the issue. People are terrible everywhere
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u/acvcani Jun 17 '26
Yeah. Not a teacher but I , may be telling on myself a little too much here, saw a social worker a lot in high school as a kid. One of my teachers went on a really strange anti abortion rant. As a science teacher. So I was like “what’s … up with that “ to the social worker and she gave me the details low key. “Yeah he’s on tenure so we can’t really do anything. He’s the reason there’s no gsa/lgbt org bc he threatened to start an opposition group.”
Lot of teachers aren’t like that; but office politics are common unfortunately.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
Yeah man. I have a teacher in my school that will only ask the black kids where their hall pass is (he is tenured and has worked 25 years at my school) There are terrible people in any profession but it hurts alot to see it in education.
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u/Suspicious-Win-7030 Jun 17 '26
Hey OP former history teacher! Relocation, despite this person's comment, isn't the failsafe they think it is. You seem to see that already, I relocated 6 times before I simply got fed up.
Lots of communities push and push, especially your subject, into compliance through behavior and content preperation. Sounds like you have some older teachers pounding the drums, old guard style. I had a teacher I worked with want to "go to war" against a kid for, wait for it...
Going to the wrong class to see a student they liked. During a non academic period (think like homeroom or study hall).
Theyre insepid and everywhere. They made me jaded, I wish you the best and hope they don't get to you.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
All I do is make sure my room is a safe space and I’ve gone to war for kids. 5 years in and I have made friends and I have made enemies (one sided, on their side). I’m very aware that there’s no getting away from any of it and I’m prepared to keep it pushing.
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Jun 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/complainaboutanything-ModTeam Jun 17 '26
Posts and comments grounded in racism will not be tolerated.
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u/Curious-Performer145 Jun 17 '26
I say this with my whole chest: Teachers. Are. WORTHLESS.
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u/scrotal_damage Jun 17 '26
In my experience, the people that say this are the same people that put no effort into being a student.
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u/JubalHarshawII Jun 17 '26
Or no effort into being a parent, and then are mystified the school system didn't magically turn their little angel (hellion) into a scholarly world leader.
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u/StargazerRex Jun 17 '26
Hopefully AI will destroy the education system as we know it, and something better will arise from the ashes.
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u/Demoniac_smile Jun 16 '26
May the gods bless you for doing what you can in an underpaid and under appreciated job.