Ass Quote by H. L. Mencken
“The average schoolmaster is, and always must be, an ass.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The American Language, 1919
Teachers often lack competence and must remain so, implying that education frequently suffers from poor instruction.
In simple terms: Teachers often incompetent; education suffers.
Key Takeaway
Seek better teaching or self‑learn.
Themes
education
competence
authority
critique
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- classroom settings
- self‑education
- policy reform
Key Concepts
pedagogy
social criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What qualities make a great teacher?
- How can students improve learning despite poor instruction?
A Different Perspective
Not all teachers are incompetent; generalization may be harsh.
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
