That's the rub, hey - teachers are just as influential as parents sometimes. I can see how many people are resentful of them as they have such awful memories of the bad ones. I was lucky really - even that Maths teacher said such things tongue in cheek and was a good guy. My literature teacher was so passionate and kind she made me become one. And like in any profession, there's people really good at their job and those who should not be teaching, though the majority wouldn't do it if they didn't like kids.
Now of course there are laws to stop you being cruel to kids (mostly) and it's swung sooo far that teachers are blamed for everything. Kid never works, misbehaves and fails? Teachers fault. Government enforced curriculum not to parents liking? Teachers fault. It's a really tough profession.
Oh God I entirely forgot about the DVD by post thing!!! We started doing that too. Gosh that must have taken some doing. That's cool you profited from their stock!
I'll check out Roma. I love Alfonso Cuaron, but for some reason I missed this one.