CHAPTER 635: CHAPTER 635: SO WHAT IF YOU LOOK DOWN ON POOR PEOPLE

Teacher Zhao was caught by Lin Fan’s words and immediately blushed furiously.

"Don’t talk nonsense, I’m not what you say I am. I started a tuition class for the children’s benefit!" Teacher Zhao argued.

Lin Fan shook his head and said, "If you truly cared for the children, you wouldn’t be constantly bringing up the rich and the poor. You charge fees for your tuition class, and the price is not cheap. The rich don’t mind spending this money, so they respond positively, making you happy. However, when poor people can’t afford it, or they begrudge spending the money, naturally, you’re not pleased. Over time, you transfer this attitude onto the students. You prefer the children of the rich, and look down on the children of the poor, treating them differently. As a teacher, you’ve become fixated on money, and you still claim you’re not in the wrong? If there’s nothing wrong with you, that would really be seeing ghosts!"

Lin Fan’s words were reasonable and to the point.

They left Teacher Zhao speechless.

Wei Yue’er was thrilled after listening and couldn’t help but applaud. The other teachers observing also joined in, finding Lin Fan’s argument spectacular.

It completely expressed their own thoughts.

Indeed, in short, this Teacher Zhao has become fixated on money. As a people’s teacher, she should be focused on education and nurturing, but instead, she’s obsessed with money and even admits it publicly. If that’s not a problem, then it’s simply bewildering!

Teacher Zhao was unhappy, terribly unhappy, being left speechless by someone poor was just unthinkable! How could that be allowed!

"Who are you, I ask? What do you do? Are you a teacher? I think you must be a farmer from the countryside, just the kind of poor parent I’m talking about. Just because you’re poor, do you think you’re justified?"

Teacher Zhao burst out again.

Lin Fan smiled and said, "I am indeed from the village."

Teacher Zhao laughed, "I said so, didn’t I? I wasn’t wrong. You’re just a damned pauper. So what if I look down on you? Who says teachers can’t have their preferences? I just don’t like you poor people. What can you do about it! If you have the capability, then don’t be poor. If you throw money at my tuition class, I promise to treat you like a god. You’re a poor person, and you still want me to be nice to you? No way!"

"As I mentioned earlier, I used to teach at a prestigious school. The parents there were almost all government officials or businesspeople who had no lack of money. When I started a tuition class, everyone participated without hesitation, unlike here, where a bunch of poor people won’t even spend on a tuition class for their children. What future can they expect!"

"Why do they say the rich get richer? Because they’re willing to invest. Their children are born into luxury, enjoying the best educational resources, and will naturally excel. This is how the rich maintain their class advantage! As for the poor, why do they say it’s hard for a humble family to produce nobility? Forget about tuition classes; some struggle with even basic tuition fees! Their children are already losing to the rich, and if they keep being so stingy, what prospects can their children have? You tell me!"

"You say I look down on the poor, and I do, because I see no hope in them. Do they deserve my respect? They don’t!"

"Take a parent like Luo Xiaojuan, who won’t even spend money on a school uniform for the child and is still wearing last year’s, which doesn’t even fit anymore. And they expect me to respect them!"

"I know her family is poor, precisely because they’re poor. Chen Simin’s mother earns in a month what her mother earns in five decades. That’s the class difference. You tell me, in the future, will Chen Simin achieve more, or will she?"

"Tongue-tied, aren’t you? Nothing to say, right! Because you know I’m right. This is reality! I’m just laying the truth bare. Of course, the truth is hard to hear!"

Teacher Zhao rattled on, thinking she’d left Lin Fan speechless.

Yet Lin Fan smiled, shaking his head. This Teacher Zhao was truly fixated on money, with her values completely skewed, and her outlook on life and values way off course.

"What are you laughing at? Laughing doesn’t cover your speechlessness!" Teacher Zhao sneered.

Lin Fan replied, "I’m not speechless; I’m just at a loss for words with you. You have no regard for the nation!"

Teacher Zhao’s expression changed: "What nonsense are you spouting? How am I disregarding the nation? You damned pauper, don’t you dare label me like that!"

Lin Fan said, "Fine, let me break it down for you. Our country places great importance on children’s education. They say ’no matter how poor education cannot be poor’, and it’s true. Our country still has many impoverished people, but the nation invests heavily in poverty alleviation. On one hand, the country is working hard to help citizens overcome poverty. Now, absolute poverty has been eradicated, and next will come further poverty alleviation, making citizens wealthier. On the other hand, the country vigorously develops education, emphasizing ’no matter how poor, don’t impoverish education,’ meaning both rich and poor children, especially those from poor families, should have access to education. For example, nine-year compulsory education means all our children must complete obligatory education, and during this phase, the government strives to waive tuition fees for poor kids to attend school! This is the nation’s effort to ensure educational fairness so that both rich and poor children start on the same level playing field!"

"As far as I know, this school is a public school. This classroom is essentially a microcosm of the effort the nation puts into creating an educational environment. In this classroom, both Chen Simin and Luo Xiaojuan can stay in class and receive fair education."

"As a teacher, your duty is to support the nation’s efforts, treating these children fairly, irrespective of if they’re rich or poor, teaching them equally!"

"Not like what you’re doing, divvying up your knowledge, keeping some back to charge for tuition classes. Doing so fosters educational inequality because rich kids can attend your class, but poor kids cannot. You’re practically going against the nation’s policies. So, tell me, aren’t you disregarding the nation?"

Lin Fan’s words brought silence to the entire room.

Cold sweat began to form on Teacher Zhao’s forehead.

She couldn’t refute Lin Fan because his words nailed her flaws.

She knew Lin Fan was right, and she had no way to argue back. The label Lin Fan gave her, if confirmed, could spell disaster for her.

She panicked, utterly panicked.

"Enough! I don’t want to waste breath on a pauper like you, and this class doesn’t need to continue. You all can leave!" Teacher Zhao said, now just wanting to end the topic quickly.

"Mr. Lin spoke quite well, so wonderful. I’d like to hear more of your debate."

A voice said.

Then they saw the mayor walk in with a smile, accompanied by an elder man, who was unmistakably the principal of the elementary school!

"Huh?"

At the sudden sight of the mayor and the principal, Teacher Zhao’s face turned pale with fright.