Hi there! I am a senior Theatre Education major in his final semester in college (surviving COVID-19 the best I can!) It has become somewhat of a hot topic amongst some of the other Theater Ed. majors and I though "Who would be better to ask than a bunch of anonymous teachers on Reddit?"

The topic of conversation: Professionalism and teachers, is it unreal to expect a teacher to always be on their best behavior, as though anyone in public could see them and possibly get them in trouble if they aren't on their best behavior?

Should you as working teachers or I as a student intern be held to higher standards of professionalism when out in the community? There is nothing stopping a doctor or lawyer in the community from going out drinking at the bar and getting loud (in a normal, not COVID-19 time). Running into one of their patients or clients would not reflect negatively on the doctor or lawyer. If a teacher was to go out to the bar and get loud and ran into one of their student's parent/guardian, more than likely, that teacher will be hearing from one of their higher-up that next Monday.

As someone who doesn't actually have to care about this right now, I feel like this is not fair and creates a narrative of teachers, painted by people who aren't teachers, but that may also be my millennial brain fighting for fairness where it is not needed.