To The Editor:

When people are ignorant about a topic or subject matter, the very last thing they should do is embarrass themselves by writing about it in any sort of public newspaper editorial.

I am speaking specifically about the Letter to the Editor in the August 2 issue of Twin City TIMES, written by Dick Sabine of Lewiston, titled “Teachers should emulate the work ethic of craftsmen”.

First, I would highly suggest that Mr. Sabine read Lewiston’s Republican Mayor Robert Macdonald’s “Enough is Enough” column in the same issue of Twin City TIMES, which is far more intelligently written with the knowledge and wisdom best needed to understand the reasons for this state’s and this country’s educational woes. (And I’m a proud Democrat!)

The only part of Macdonald’s column that I disagree with is his last sentence about “Don’t Forget: Remember in November”. You see, this is not—nor should it ever be—a political problem to solve. Why? Because politicians cannot legislate parents and how they raise their children.

Other than that, Mayor Macdonald hit the nail right on the head. I won’t bother to repeat all of the accurate issues of child upbringing that the mayor did. Once upon a time, a childrens’ upbringing was handled appropriately by parents at home, not by teachers at school, as it is today. Mr. Sabine obviously has no idea what teachers are required to tolerate today while trying to educate children, which is what teachers went to college for and were trained to do.

I won’t embarrass myself by painting all parents with the same wide brush that he painted all teachers with.

There is a tremendous amount of responsible and caring parents who make sure that their children receive a good education by doing their part at home. They are responsibly and properly raising their children to become productive—not destructive—adults who will contribute positively to our communities.

But I will not remain silent and allow untrue criticism of teachers to go unanswered. Do your homework, and perhaps a little research as well, on the past and present generations’ upbringing. Only then will you find the right answer regarding what’s wrong in schools today and discover the unnecessary obstacles that too many irresponsible parents send their kids to school with. The numbers will be bigger than you could imagine.

You’re targeting the wrong group to criticize, Mr. Sabine.

You see, when I (and the rest of my generation and the generations before me) was growing up, parents raised their kids and teachers educated us. They didn’t have to spend quality educational time worrying about raising their students. Our parents did that.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a school teacher. But I have seen firsthand what teachers are required to tolerate today from the belligerent, rude, frightening, threatening and, oh yes, criminal conduct that many students present to their teachers, which is sometimes later supported or defended by some parents.

I’m guessing you’re not, Mr. Sabine, but you should be ashamed of the way that you have degraded our fine, well-educated and trained school teachers. I hope that you are in a minority.

As for the work ethics of craftsmen, apparently you have never been ripped off by some of our so-called honest craftsmen, like I have been many times in my life. But that’s for another day and another editorial.

Guy Mahon

Auburn