And People Wonder Why I Want to Homeschool?

I read an article today, a commentary written in an area paper that really didn't help me to sympathize with our public school teachers. Why? If this statement really does echo how our teachers unions and teachers feel, then I find it disturbing:

I suppose the pendulum has swung to the other extreme from the days within our lifetime when teachers were venerated and idolized, the never-wrong authority figures to whom parents and students always deferred.

Um....really?!! I thought PARENTS are supposed to the authority in a child's life. I thought only GOD can be our "never-wrong authority." And deffer to a teacher? Perhaps working with the teacher for my child's education, yes, but deferring to them to make the ultimate decisions on behalf of my child? IDOLIZED?!?!

Granted, the author speaks of the pendulum swing which means from one extreme to the other. The ideal would be somewhere in the middle....parents and teachers working together for their child's education. Sure, I plan on homeschooling, but I also plan on utilizing some teachers to farther my children's education beyond what I am capable of. But, I will be working with the teachers, employing them, and not letting them overstep their boundaries into my parental authority. As far as I know, from the teachers I know, they are elated when parents utilize their parental authority! It makes their job easier and more successful for our children!

Still, I certainly hope teachers in general do NOT feel they ought to be as the statement above says.