School teaching is becoming essentially and not merely marginally a genre of political behavior. For most contemporary teachers, most of the time, work consists of interpreting diverse ideological pressures, and attempting to appease those who produce these pressures in a manner that will allow them to retain their positions, self respect, and a modicum of satisfaction. Teacher educators are advised to acknowledge the growing significance of political factors in the occupation. Both coursework and clinical experiences need to be reevaluated and organized so as to explicitly communicate to novices the ramifications of political factors in their work and the implications for their careers. (Author/JD)