A brief rant...
A locally owned coffee shop this week decided to show their appreciation for teachers this week by offering a free cup of coffee to teachers with a teacher ID.
Within in one day they had to regretfully end the promotion.
This is a new business that just opened a few months ago. Teachers make up a large part of the customer base. For them to offer this promotion meant they were losing a substantial amount of revenue each day. They would barely break even while the promotion lasted.
That's not why they ended the promotion early.
Apparently they were flooded by people claiming to be teachers in order to get a free cup of coffee.
"I'm a home school teacher."
"I teach martial arts."
"I teach people how to ride horses."
"I teach Sunday School."
and so on and so forth.
All honorable pursuits but obviously not honoring the clearly expressed intent of the coffee shop to show appreciation to teachers in public education.
Plus, despite their ads being very clear, many actual teachers got upset when they were asked to show their teacher ID. Many didn't have their IDs and griped when they couldn't get their free drink.
The negativity became so great that this coffee shop had to end the promotion early. They didn't want to subject their employees (often students) to any more verbal harassment.
A few observations...
1.) This is just another example (out of a billion) of the lack of respect teachers have in our society. Very few people in their right mind would try to claim to be a firefighter, policeman, soldier, doctor or whatever if a similar promotion were given for those professions. But of course anyone thinks they can be a teacher. Sorry (not sorry), you want to be considered a teacher?...get your state certification. I worked hard for that thing and you dishonor our efforts when you try to shortcut your way into the line by creatively using the term "teacher." No one in their right mind claims to be a lawyer unless they've passed the bar exam (except Leonardo DiCaprio in that one movie.).
2.) Many of these complainers were church going so-called Christians. Another reminder to me that my worst and rudest customers when I was working at the Mardel Christian Bookstore back in college were "church people." You hear that same thing from waiters, hotel employees etc. Hypocrites. What kind of "witness" is that? This is a small business that this community is lucky to have. It's tough to open a new business, especially a restaurant or coffee shop. And that's how you welcome them? That's a great look for your religion. Fellow Christians...we must do better.
3.) Lastly, to those teachers who got mad when the coffee shop asked to see teacher ID. You claim to have high standards for your students yet you often behave in ways you would find unacceptable in your own classroom. If teachers want more respect then many teachers need to end their hypocritical behavior in these instances. Local business are trying to show appreciation and that's how you treat them? Then you want these same employees to vote for a school bond? You complain when your students don't follow simple directions and yet you can't follow the simple directions of having a Teacher ID to show to get your free coffee? C'mon fellow teachers...we can do better! We want respect? We must earn it.
Sorry, rant over.
Another example why our society can't have nice things.
