“Teachers, principals, clergymen, politicians — for the Simpsons, they’re all goofballs, and I think that’s a great message for kids.”
Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, cited in The Writer’s Almanac, February 15, 2007
He has a seed of insight that I can agree with, but not the generalized, absolute claim. Maybe my “Yes, but…” statement confirms I’m a goofball, too. I know exceptions who have their feet on the ground (sometimes in mud, other times on sand) and actually assist students (by intent and in other ways) to accomplish good things these students want to accomplish. Still, I think Groening’s assertion is a good reminder of how others may see us. What do you think?
I think the notion that students somehow know what is worth accomplishing is as dubious as the measure of a good teacher being an enabler of such learning. Groening’s is a uniquely American image of teachers. Such attitudes contribute to the overall anti-intellectual climate of the culture. One of the great pleasures of teaching abroad is being treated as a full-fledged member of adult society.