Response to the archive: propoganda and framing

Matt Damon Rewrites Attack On Teachers

                                                                                          Alex Etienne

            This piece discusses, in a nut-shell, our academic achievements as a country and the “reactions of the people” (primarily republicans).  It then goes on to discuss which party, democratic or republican, will help to provide a better learning environment to the students and therefore help them to become more advanced learners.  The teachers took their movement to the white house recently and you may be surprised who greeted them at the door.

            Matt Damon, who is he?  Well, let’s just say he is a multi-millionaire actor that has starred in many lead roles in at least one movie you have on your rack at home or saved to your computer.  The man is a celebrity around the world, but, we all know that is simply because of his acting skills.  What in the world could he possibly be doing right in the midst of our country’s educational scandal?  He was there to discuss a website, a right winged website that apparently has “blind faith, blind to the facts in the “blame the teacher theory”. 

            What exactly does all of this mean though?  The report discusses that there is a sense of “job security” when in the film/acting business, but teachers do not get this same security.  Matt claims, “You are basically saying that a teacher is going to get lazy when they reach their tenure.  That is not true, a teacher wants to teach.”  He then goes on to say, “Why else would you take a shitty salary, and do that job, unless you really love to do it?”  In my opinion, I could not agree more with Matt.  Personally, I am an elementary education major in my second year.  Through the student teaching and observations that I have completed and am currently doing, money and hours are the last thing to even cross my mind.  Being in a classroom with children (Primarily 1^st-3^rd graders), they really feed off of your energy and your ability to keep them entertained.  At that age, you have to enjoy what your doing and present that to them in a positive manner or else you will be in for a rude awakening when no one is succeeding in your classroom.