Why do teachers face public criticism?

The general public doesn't understand what really goes into teaching and what we do as teachers.  Compared to chapter one in the text, teachers today have many different levels of students.  When education began, they had different levels of students and many different age levels also.

People associate the type or age of student you work with and they feel that is your educational level as well.  Example a Kindergarten teacher doesn't just have to have a Kindergarten educational background.

Everyone spends 12 years of their life in a classroom, so they all have their own opinion on what a teacher does.  It is also every person's tax dollars being used and any money spent by the government is a bad expense.  People feel when students don't achieve well, it is the teachers fault and complain about our tax money and where it is going.

Teachers in a small community are held to a higher level and considered intellectual.  We also see that teachers in some small communities are seen as outsiders.

Respect for teachers is less in the United States than overseas.  You have to convince people that you are highly qualified as a teacher, and our culture still looks at it as a teaching degree, not a college degree.

School pride is going by the wayside it seems at some districts.  There are many students and people in schools that don't attend events as much or show the community support.