As an
academic this is something that I find annoying and deeply
depressing. Some of the people in my profession really do seem to have
contempt for their
students.
Interestingly, these disturbing attitudes are most prevalent
amongst those who concentrate on teaching and don't
do any research. My suspicion is that
they feel insecure and so they they need something to feel good about;
superiority over the students gives them the validation they require.
Here's an example. One place I worked they kept a book in the coffee
room. The book contained "amusing" mistakes that students made in exams
or in course work. Sometimes a group would sit around laughing about
how stupid the students were and how little they knew.
This is really weird. If the students really know so little
whose fault is that? Probably the people
giggling at the howlers were the same people who had failed
to carry out their duties as educators properly. I hope
I never get so cynical.