We all know that teachers have a huge impact on the lives of their students. They influence their academic performance and impart their values, attitudes, and behavior.
Teachers Have Major Influence on Our Youth
Unfortunately, when a teacher underperforms or, worse, treats others poorly, it can be extremely damaging to both individuals and society as a whole.
Opinion: A Bad Teacher Has More Negative Influence Upon Society Than a Drug Dealer.
One user took to the subreddit “unpopular opinions,” saying, “A bad teacher has more negative upon society than a drug dealer.” He went on to explain himself:
“… Take into consideration that drug dealers sell to a very small percentage of the population, whereas teachers are going to impact much more people, teaching hundreds if not thousands of students throughout their entire careers,” the person commented.
Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? We compiled a list of the top-voted responses from other users.
1. You Get What You Pay For
“Unfortunately, whilst I also agree that a good teacher can make all the difference, a lot of people fail to understand that you get what you pay for,” one user commented.
Being a teacher is tough, with low to moderate pay, limited career advancement opportunities, and having to manage unappreciative students and parents all day.Â
2. Parents Are Responsible Too
“It’s definitely more on sh***y parents or over-enabling parents when it comes to kids than it a bad teacher. Had plenty of bad teachers that I was able to learn from anyways,” another responded.
It is true that poor parenting can have a largely negative influence on a child and their development. You could argue that they have more of an impact on the child.
3. They Can Destroy Your Self-Esteem
One Reddit user wrote about one teacher’s damaging effects on his self-esteem and how the event still plays out in his mind.
This user had a difficult experience in high school with his creative writing teacher. Despite winning local contests, the teacher was unwilling to include any of his work in the end-of-year student project.Â
3. They Can Destroy Your Self-Esteem
When asked for feedback, the teacher shook his head and said that he was not good enough. This experience had an immense negative impact on him, as it killed his passion for writing, and he still struggles with what happened 15 years later.
Stories like these illustrate how a bad teacher’s influence can have such a devastating effect on individuals.
4. We Cannot Ensure Every Teacher is Great
“Kids have many teachers throughout their school years, and none of those teachers have the kids for more than 20% of their waking hours. Any kid with decent parents will easily overcome a few bad teachers,” one user wrote.
5. It’s Not The Teachers— It’s You
Some users felt that teachers are blamed too often for the shortcomings of their students when in reality, the student is ultimately responsible for their own behavior and academic performance.
This opinion can be seen in one Reddit user’s comment about how “only so much a teacher can do.” This sentiment was received well in the form of upvotes from others.
6. Stricter Protocol is Needed
To be able to attract high-quality teachers who are passionate about their work, improved incentives must be put in place, along with stricter requirements for the selection of teaching candidates, some users pointed out.
Steps to improving the quality of teachers could include increasing standards for admission into teaching programs, requiring more classes on child development and classroom management in education degrees, and giving teachers’ professional associations or principals more power to discipline bad teachers.
Additionally, annual performance reviews, merit-based hiring raises, and promotions could help ensure that only the best teachers teach students in classrooms.
Conclusion
Bad teachers may significantly impact society beyond students who are directly affected by their actions. Poor teaching has the potential to shape societal norms and values in a negative way.
Does a teacher really have more of a negative impact on society than a drug dealer— what are your thoughts?
Read More: The Worst Things Teachers Have Confiscated
Teachers have seen it all. So we asked them: what was the worst thing they had ever confiscated from a student?
Their answers would be enough to put you off the teaching career for life.
Read Now: The 20 Worst Things Teachers Have Confiscated From Students
Read More: Dad Let His Son Take “Toy” To Show and Tell, Not Knowing What It Really Was
When Mom’s away, Dad and son will play.
Read More: Dad Let His Son Take “Toy” To Show and Tell, Not Knowing What It Really Was
Read More: Teaching or Chatting?
Did you know that up to 45% of all Americans have a side gig? Do you?
We found probably one of the most enjoyable, rewarding ways to earn money by teaching (chatting) with those who want to learn English online. Log in any time you want, 24/7, and get paid weekly for the hours you put in.
Learn More: Cambly 2023 Review, Requirements & Pay For Tutors (Beginner Friendly)
Read More: The Time I Ruined My High School Teacher’s Career and Got Her Fired in the Greatest Way Possible
A story about a high school student who was mistreated by his teacher and got her fired.
Read Now: The Time I Ruined My High School Teacher’s Career and Got Her Fired in the Greatest Way Possible.
Read More: She Donated Her Daughter’s College Fund Instead of Giving it To Her Stepdaughter. Was She Wrong?
Her daughter tragically passed away, and now she is left with her college fund. What should she do with the money?
Read Now: She Donated Her Daughter’s College Fund Instead of Giving It To Her Stepdaughter. Was She Wrong?
This article is inspired by Reddit and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of TPR Teaching. This post, A Bad Teacher Has More Negative Influence Upon Society Than a Drug Dealer, was produced and syndicated by TPR Teaching.
More Articles From TPR Teaching
- She Told Her Parents To Pay Back Her College Tuition if They Wanted a Relationship. Was She Wrong?
- The Time I Ruined My High School Teacher’s Career and Got Her Fired in the Greatest Way Possible
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.