You've just illustrated why I will never again take a job as a K-12 teacher in the US. In other countries? Maybe. But not in the US. And you've missed my point.

You've just illustrated why I will never again take a job as a K-12 teacher in the US. In other countries? Maybe. But not in the US. And you've missed my point. It's not about earning respect (of course you have to do that-- as does anyone in any job), it's about occupational respect starting on the first day of school. This thread shows how little of that there is left for teachers in the U.S. I fail to be surprised that young people find a different profession where respect is a given, like software development.