Reply #5: I prefer this version of the story:

[Berry Cool]

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”

To stress his point he said to another guest; “You’re a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?”

Bonnie, who had a reputation for frankness, replied, “You want to know what I make?” She paused for a second, then began:

“Well, I make your kids work harder than YOU ever make them work at home.

“I make your C+ daughter feel like the Medal of Honor winner.

“I make your son sit through 40 minutes of class time when you can’t make him sit for five without an iPod, Game Cube or movie rental.

“You want to know what I make?” She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.

“I make YOUR kids wonder.

“I make YOUR kids question.

“I make YOUR kids apologize and mean it.

“I make YOUR kids have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

“I teach YOUR kids to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn’t everything.

“I make YOUR kids read, read, read.

“I make YOUR kids show all their work in math. They use their brain, not the man-made calculator.

“I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity, so if YOUR kids insult them for looking or speaking differently, they can hold their heads high and shake it off.

“I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe--even if YOUR kids are trying to bully the others.

“Finally, I make YOUR kids understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life, even if they're not a success in YOUR eyes and you keep chiding them for being losers because they haven't chosen some high-powered, high-paying career like yours.” Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.

“Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn’t everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention, because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make? I make YOUR little brats into decent people and citizens, and help YOUR more decent kids learn to stand up in the world against assholes like you. Which is a hell of a lot more than YOU make of them, Mr. CEO!"

(adapted by someone who was always kind of amused by the part of the movie It's a Wonderful Life where Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey goes berserk at Zuzu's teacher for letting her go home with her coat open and catch a cold, and then later gets socked in the jaw by the teacher's husband, who lectures him for lashing out at a poor teacher who's only trying to give his brats a decent education)