--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Schoolteachers seemed determined to…" description: "\"Schoolteachers seemed determined to persuade me that 'classic' is a synonym for 'narcotic'.\" — Russell Baker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/russell-baker-2930_classic_schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-pers_1596615.png" --- # Schoolteachers seemed determined to persuade me that… ![“Schoolteachers seemed determined to persuade me that 'classic' is a synonym for 'narcotic'.” quote by Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/russell-baker-2930_classic_schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-pers_1596615.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/russell-baker-2930_classic_schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-pers_1596615.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/russell-baker-2930_classic_schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-pers_1596615.png) > “Schoolteachers seemed determined to persuade me that 'classic' is a synonym for 'narcotic'.” [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques how educators can mislabel familiar works as harmful, discouraging critical engagement. **In simple terms:** Teachers may label classics as harmful. Key Takeaway Question questioning, critically. Themes education critical thinking literature Mood skeptical reflective Type analytical critical When to use this quote - classroom discussions - reading groups - curriculum design Key Concepts censorship cultural bias Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling affect students’ openness? - What alternatives to labeling exist? A Different Perspective Labeling can stifle curiosity and learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Classic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classic/) [Classic Synonym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classic-synonym-6062149/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Determined Persuade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined-persuade-6062151/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Narcotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcotics/) [Schoolteachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schoolteachers-2319465/) [Schoolteachers Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schoolteachers-determined-6062148/) [Synonym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/synonym/) [Synonym Narcotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/synonym-narcotic-6062150/) ## Related quotes > [“70% of schoolteachers teach only in their spare time, or when they are in the mood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/70-of-schoolteachers-teach-only-in-their-spare-time-or-when-they-are/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I'm a schoolteacher. That's even worse than being an intellectual. Schoolteachers are not only comic, they're often cold and hungry in this richest land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-l-mankiewicz/i-m-a-schoolteacher-that-s-even-worse-than-being-an-intellectual/) [Joseph L. Mankiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-l-mankiewicz/) > [There are schoolteachers around the country that work second jobs after their teaching duties are done: one woman in North Dakota I spoke to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-quart/there-are-schoolteachers-around-the-country-that-work-second-jobs/) [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) > [Almost everyone in the family have been schoolteachers, been in education forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/almost-everyone-in-the-family-have-been-schoolteachers-been-in/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [I like to date schoolteachers. If you do something wrong, they make you do it over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/i-like-to-date-schoolteachers-if-you-do-something-wrong-they-make-you/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [Education helps you earn more. But not many schoolteachers can prove it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/education-helps-you-earn-more-but-not-many-schoolteachers-can-prove-it/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [If I were president? First thing I'd do is take care of the schoolteachers. I'm not saying we should start 'em out with six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/if-i-were-president-first-thing-i-d-do-is-take-care-of-the/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I'm very good at daydreaming. Ask any of my schoolteachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/i-m-very-good-at-daydreaming-ask-any-of-my-schoolteachers/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [Schoolteachers are not fully appreciated by parents until it rains all day Saturday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/schoolteachers-are-not-fully-appreciated-by-parents-until-it-rains/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [“Schoolteachers teach what they and others know. Forest teachers - bear, wolf, lynx, beaver, bird, every flower and tree - teach us how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-m-perrin/schoolteachers-teach-what-they-and-others-know-forest-teachers-bear/) [Frederic M. Perrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-m-perrin/) > [My mum and dad were primary schoolteachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-reeves/my-mum-and-dad-were-primary-schoolteachers/) [Rachel Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-reeves/) > [“Schoolteachers can be some hard-eyed people, with talkin eyes; they mouth sayin one thing and them eyes be screamin another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-childress/schoolteachers-can-be-some-hard-eyed-people-with-talkin-eyes-they/) [Alice Childress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-childress/) > [“Will thought of her time away from work the way he used to think of his schoolteachers crawling into their caves under the school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/will-thought-of-her-time-away-from-work-the-way-he-used-to-think-of/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I am responsible for managing more schoolteachers' and firemen's money than anybody in the world. That's an enormous responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-d-fink/i-am-responsible-for-managing-more-schoolteachers-and-firemen-s-money/) [Laurence D. Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-d-fink/) > [Believer's should never deal with doubts and fears because they are the devil's narcotics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-hagin/believer-s-should-never-deal-with-doubts-and-fears-because-they-are/) [Kenneth E. Hagin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-hagin/) ## More by Russell Baker > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [The people who are always hankering loudest for some golden yesteryear usually drive new cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/the-people-who-are-always-hankering-loudest-for-some-golden/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [In writing, punctuation plays the role of body language. It helps readers hear you the way you want to be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/in-writing-punctuation-plays-the-role-of-body-language-it-helps/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Kingsley Amis was one of a trio of brilliant comic novelists who made English literature sparkle in the twentieth century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/kingsley-amis-was-one-of-a-trio-of-brilliant-comic-novelists-who-made/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Life seemed to be an educator's practical joke in which you spent the first half learning and the second half learning that everything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/life-seemed-to-be-an-educator-s-practical-joke-in-which-you-spent-the/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [I gave up on new poetry myself 30 years ago when most of it began to read like coded messages passing between lonely aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/i-gave-up-on-new-poetry-myself-30-years-ago-when-most-of-it-began-to/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [After two years studying what rewrite men did with the facts I phoned them, I knew that journalism was essentially a task of stringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/after-two-years-studying-what-rewrite-men-did-with-the-facts-i-phoned/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [American foreign policy had still not recovered from its victory over communism when George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice took over at the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/american-foreign-policy-had-still-not-recovered-from-its-victory-over/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Anything that isn't opposed by about 40 percent of humanity is either an evil business or so unimportant that it simply doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/anything-that-isn-t-opposed-by-about-40-percent-of-humanity-is-either/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [When you're the only pea in the pod, your parents are likely to get you confused with the Hope diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/when-you-re-the-only-pea-in-the-pod-your-parents-are-likely-to-get/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Serious journalism need not be solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/serious-journalism-need-not-be-solemn/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Ireland really is my problem; the breaking point of the huge suppuration which all British and all European society now is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/ireland-really-is-my-problem-the-breaking-point-of-the-huge/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Journalism talk is part of the nonstop background noise of American life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/journalism-talk-is-part-of-the-nonstop-background-noise-of-american/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [An educated person is one who has learned that information almost always turns out to be at best incomplete and very often false, misleading,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/an-educated-person-is-one-who-has-learned-that-information-almost/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [The best discussion of trouble in boardroom and business office is found in newspapers' own financial pages and speeches by journalists in management jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/the-best-discussion-of-trouble-in-boardroom-and-business-office-is/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) [Explore all 145 Russell Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) ## More Classic quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [What I love about watching classic horror films is that they take you on a ride and they obviously make you scared because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-holmes/what-i-love-about-watching-classic-horror-films-is-that-they-take-you/) [Katie Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-holmes/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [A classic is like a hidden treasure. Its core is buried under so many layers of varnish that it can be reached only by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-louis-barrault/a-classic-is-like-a-hidden-treasure-its-core-is-buried-under-so-many/) [Jean-Louis Barrault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-louis-barrault/) > [I like everything with a heaping dose of feminitity, including my cell phone. I created this phone for the classic woman, who like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/i-like-everything-with-a-heaping-dose-of-feminitity-including-my-cell/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [One glance and I knew exactly who and what he was. The classic alpha male, the kind who had spurred evolution forward about five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/one-glance-and-i-knew-exactly-who-and-what-he-was-the-classic-alpha/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [Classic mountaineering grows out of a traditional romantic imagination. Its heart is the feeling, its path is blood, sweat and tears, and its restriction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wojciech-kurtyka/classic-mountaineering-grows-out-of-a-traditional-romantic/) [Wojciech Kurtyka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wojciech-kurtyka/) > [In his anti-Darwinian book... (and eponymously named The Neck of the Giraffe ), Francis Hitching tells the story... "The need to survive by reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-his-anti-darwinian-book-and-eponymously-named-the-neck-of-the/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The story being told in 'Star Wars' is a classic one. Every few hundred years, the story is retold because we have a tendency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-story-being-told-in-star-wars-is-a-classic-one-every-few-hundred/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [In the tradition of the classic songwriter rooms like The Bluebird in Nashville, Strange Brew is a gift to the music community in Austin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-cross/in-the-tradition-of-the-classic-songwriter-rooms-like-the-bluebird-in/) [Christopher Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-cross/) > [It's sad that women characters have lost so much ground in popular movies. Didn't 'Thelma and Louise' prove that women want to see women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-quivers/it-s-sad-that-women-characters-have-lost-so-much-ground-in-popular/) [Robin Quivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-quivers/) > [Classic book is a book which people praise, but do not read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/classic-book-is-a-book-which-people-praise-but-do-not-read/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) [Browse all 1,505 Classic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Schoolteachers seemed determined to persuade me that 'classic' is a synonym for 'narcotic'.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Russell Baker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-persuade-me-that-classic-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Classic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-persuade-me-that-classic-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/russell-baker-2930_classic_schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-pers_1596615.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/russell-baker-2930_classic_schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-pers_1596615.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/russell-baker-2930_classic_schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-pers_1596615.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Schoolteachers seemed determined to persuade me that 'classic' is a synonym for 'narcotic'.” — Russell Baker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Russell Baker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Schoolteachers seemed determined to persuade me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-persuade-me-that-classic-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/schoolteachers-seemed-determined-to-persuade-me-that-classic-is-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```