Jack Sparrow made his way to the podium, greeted by warm applause from his colleagues, friends, and family, all gathered in the elegantly decorated salon. The room was filled with colorful ribbons, balloons, and bouquets of flowers, creating a lively, joyful atmosphere for the special occasion. It was a celebration of his retirement, a milestone he had eagerly awaited. As he marched toward the podium, he felt a deep sense of pride and nostalgia, grateful for the journey that had brought him there. When he finally reached the podium, Jack gently opened the well-worn book he had brought with him, its pages marked and flagged with colorful markers and tabs. He paused briefly to catch his breath and steady himself before beginning to speak. Standing there, he felt his eyes grow slightly moist with tears of anticipation and emotion. He looked out at the familiar faces of the gathered crowd, people who had been part of his life's journey, supporting him through challenges over the years.

"Hello, my friends," he said, pausing. His voice trembled slightly with emotion. "Thank you for throwing such a magnificent party. I didn't realize you were so eager to get rid of me," he added, grinning.

"You bet, man," Malcolm, his colleague and friend, a drama teacher, said from the front row.

"We will miss you, Jack," Tim, a younger teacher, shouted from the back of the salon.

Jack nodded in appreciation and continued his speech, "I've had the incredible privilege of teaching high school science for nearly thirty years. This wasn't just a job to me; it's been a true passion and a wonderful journey filled with countless memorable moments and meaningful connections. I will officially retire in just a few days, by the end of next week. I hope you will bear my presence with patience during these remaining days."

The audience's applause and clapping filled the salon.

"While I'm genuinely excited about my retirement, I'm overwhelmed by a warm, bittersweet nostalgia for the countless hours, heartfelt moments, and meaningful connections I've shared with my students and colleagues over the years. It's been an incredible journey filled with unforgettable memories, and I cherish every moment, knowing it has shaped me into who I am today," Jack said, pausing as a surge of emotion brought tears to his eyes and made his voice quiver.

The sound of applause filled the salon again.

"We will miss you, Captain," Malcolm said aloud.

"O Captain, my Captain," Elizabeth, a friend, colleague, and the current school principal, said, referring to Walt Whitman's famous poem.

With a broad smile, Jack raised his hand to get the audience's attention. As the salon quieted, he said, "Soon after the Pirates of the Caribbean movie hit theaters, I was promoted to Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow, a nickname that stuck with me. Everyone, from students to my colleagues, friends, and family, has been calling me Captain Jack Sparrow since then. The title became a fun part of my identity, blending my love for science with a touch of pirate flair and making my teaching days more adventurous and memorable."

"We will miss you, Captain Jack Sparrow," shouted Sarah, a young English teacher in the audience.

"I'm going to miss you all," Jack said, his voice trembling.

The sound of applause and clapping filled the salon once more.

When the applause subsided, Jack resumed his speech, "It's amusing that although my last name is Sparrow, I never actually saw a sparrow until I traveled to Melbourne in my late teens. My roots trace back to England, and according to family lore, one of my ancestors, several generations ago, was a cheerful, energetic, chirpy person who earned the nickname 'Sparrow,' which later became his and our last name. How he managed to stay so cheerful in England's typically gloomy, cold, rainy weather still puzzles me."

The entire audience laughed at his remark.

Jack resumed his speech after the laughter subsided. "I was in my twenties when I first traveled to England to work and explore my ancestral homeland. By the end of my one-year contract, I packed up in a hurry and returned to Australia, eager for sunshine and warmer weather."

His comment made the audience laugh.

Elizabeth stood, smiled warmly at Jack, and asked, "Jack, please tell us about your life and what led you to choose a teaching career."

Jack nodded at her and said, "Reflecting on my early life, I remember how different things were when I was growing up in the 1970s. Back then, childhood was marked by a sense of freedom and adventure that's rare today. We could run or ride our bicycles in the streets, playing and exploring the world around us with neighborhood kids until late into the night. We grew up in a free-range environment, enjoying open spaces and the freedom to explore, unlike children today, who often spend their childhoods confined indoors in limited spaces. While many people are now conscious of animal welfare and prefer to buy free-range eggs, it's ironic that at the same time, many of us keep our own children in confined spaces, similar to cages."

"You are right, man. I miss the good old days," Malcolm said aloud.

"Malcolm and I lived on the same street, about ten houses apart, in a quiet neighborhood. If my memory serves me right, Malcolm is about five years younger than I am. His brother, Mark, was my age and a classmate of mine at school," Jack explained.

"You're right, Jack. I'm five years younger than you, yet I somehow look older!" Malcolm said.

"It's all about the hair, Malcolm. You are bald, but Jack kept most of his hair," Elizabeth commented.

"I guess you're right," Malcolm replied, touching his bald head.

Jack nodded and continued, "Our plays often involved physical activity and occasional disagreements. Sometimes those disagreements escalated into arguments and physical altercations, leaving us with bleeding noses and bruised eyes. When that happened, our fathers wouldn't overreact. They wouldn't walk to the neighbor's door or call the police. Instead, they would ask, 'Did you win the fight?' If we said yes, they'd smile proudly and say, 'That's my boy.' Our mothers might worry a bit more, but our fathers would gently tell them, 'They are kids and will forget about it by tomorrow,' and add, 'They learn to be tough because life isn't always agreeable or easy.' It seemed they wanted to teach us resilience and toughness, preparing us for life's challenges. Looking back, I see how the simplicity and rawness of childhood back then played a key role in shaping my character and attitude toward life."

A few older men in the audience nodded in agreement.

"Throughout my school years, I don't recall my parents ever driving me to school. We would walk or ride our bicycles there every day, regardless of the weather, whether it was cold or hot, dry or wet. No one worried about us getting sick from walking in the heat, cold, or rain. I grew up here in Perth. Back then, Perth was a quiet town, much smaller and less bustling than the vibrant city it has become today. The neighborhood was a close-knit community, and we all knew each other well, which made morning walks to school more of a social event. In the 1970s, the TV action series 'Six Million Dollar Man' aired and was the most-watched show, mostly by boys. I don't remember whether it was on Tuesday or Thursday nights, but the next morning, as we walked to school, our conversations revolved around the lead character, Lee Majors, and his actions. We all dreamed of having atomic prosthetics that gave us superpowers, such as running faster than cars, bending a metal bar with bare hands, seeing into the distance, and hearing the faintest sounds. Quite a few boys broke their arms or legs while trying to imitate the actions of the Six Million Dollar Man."

Peter, an English literature teacher in the same age group as Jack, raised his hand and said, "I broke my leg by jumping off our house's roof."

Pointing at him, Jack said, "Here is Peter, the casualty of the Six Million Dollar Man."

In response, Peter stood and bowed comically to the audience.

Peter's performance made everyone laugh.

After a brief pause to collect his thoughts, Jack continued, "In school, we both feared and respected our teachers. When we did something wrong and faced punishment, often harsher than what is common today, we rarely told our parents. Doing so could lead to even more serious consequences, as they would likely scold us again. We students often prayed to whatever deity we believed in, asking Him to keep the school from telling our parents about our misbehavior and to spare us further punishment."

Peter interrupted him and said, "That's true. My father would discipline me for being punished at school. He would whip me with his thick leather belt."

"That's awful," Sarah said, and many nodded in agreement.

Jack smiled at Peter and said, "Teaching was once a highly respected profession, and for that reason, I became a teacher. But gradually, things changed. New educational policies were introduced and revised every few years, as if policymakers were unsure of their decisions. Now, after nearly three decades of teaching, I have observed how the status and rewards of being an educator have waned. Teachers are not receiving the respect and praise they deserve from students, parents, or authorities."

All his colleagues applauded his remark. Jack expressed what they all felt but hadn't said aloud.

Jack sipped some water from the glass left on the podium and continued, "There's something I've kept inside me for a very long time. If I were to speak openly about it, it could seriously harm my career and damage my reputation before I even have a chance to explain myself."

The salon fell silent as everyone eagerly awaited Jack's confession. A palpable tension filled the room, with some wondering whether he had done something wrong and was deliberately concealing it.

Jack cleared his throat and said, "Statistics show that the average tenure of new teachers in the profession is about five years. The intense stress of their roles, combined with frequent disrespect and a lack of appreciation from students, parents, and even educational authorities, often leaves them feeling overwhelmed and drained. As a result, many choose to resign to protect their mental health and self-respect rather than compromise their dignity and sanity by staying in a stressful environment. I had the privilege of working with a young teacher who left the profession after just three years. Before resigning, he confided in me that about 80 percent of his classroom time and nearly all his energy went to classroom management rather than actual teaching. After quitting, he spent about a year driving for Uber before finding another job. On one occasion, by chance, I ended up in his Uber, and during the ride, he said he felt more respected as an Uber driver than he ever had as a high school teacher."

"I guess I know who you're talking about," Margaret, a veteran math teacher, said.

Jack nodded and said, "I know many of you are aware of the person I am referring to. However, out of respect for his privacy, I ask that we not mention his name."

Margaret and a few other teachers nodded in agreement with his comment.

Jack resumed his speech, "A concerning trend is emerging in which school authorities appear to have lost their ability to discipline unruly students effectively, and I am not referring to physical punishment. Even teachers who speak firmly to an unruly student risk backlash from angry parents the next day, who often defend their child's actions as innocent or blameless, attributing the misconduct to external factors or misunderstandings."

"It's true," Malcolm said.

Jack continued, "I believe what is wrecking our society is the current political correctness, which prevents people from speaking their minds for fear of being labeled racist, antisocial, or other terms ending in '-phobic.' Political correctness has devolved into self-censorship, keeping people from discussing their thoughts or addressing the issues they face at work or in society."

"I agree with you a hundred percent," Peter shouted.

However, the rest remained silent, choosing to stay politically correct. There was no applause. They silently contemplated Jack's words and considered the potential consequences of publicly agreeing with his comment.

After sipping some more water, Jack said, "Now that I have addressed political correctness and the harm it has caused to our society, I feel a heavy weight lifted from my chest."

"Good on you, mate," Peter said, having reached the same conclusion about political correctness as Jack.

Jack nodded at Peter, appreciating his support and bravery, and said, "I am eagerly anticipating my retirement, as I have grown increasingly weary of navigating the invisible red lines of the dominant political correctness that has infiltrated our education system and society. When I first started teaching, I saw myself as an educator dedicated to teaching science to my students and inspiring their interest in the subject. My efforts seemed to pay off, as many of my former students have gone on to become doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, and other professionals. However, with all the changes in our education system, it's been a while since my perspective shifted. Instead of focusing solely on teaching and encouraging my students to pursue higher education and explore their potential, I found myself looking over my shoulder more often in recent years, wary of being falsely accused of misconduct. This sense of vigilance has overshadowed my original passion for teaching, making the job more stressful and constricting."

A few of his colleagues applauded him for courageously raising a topic that had long been on their minds. However, due to widespread political correctness and fear of reprimand, the others felt constrained and hesitant to acknowledge it openly.

After the brief applause died down, Jack said, "I don't want to take up any more of your valuable time nagging about the shortcomings of our education system. Now that I'm going to retire in a few days, I've made a firm commitment to finally read through all the books I've accumulated over the years, many of which have sat unread at home. Furthermore, I've been contemplating writing a novel, something I've always dreamed of doing. I want to sincerely thank each of you for the effort you put into organizing this wonderful party; it truly means a lot to me. However, if celebrating my retirement is your way of getting rid of me, I must say you might end up disappointed. I am still here, still a part of your lives, and you may still see me around in the days to come."

Everyone in the salon rose to their feet and clapped enthusiastically, honoring their friend and colleague. They called out joyfully, "Long live the captain!"

Jack closed his book, raised it into the air, and addressed his audience. "During the past week, I was deeply troubled about the upcoming party and the speech I had to give. I felt unsure how to start or what to say. Seeking guidance, I began searching through the local library. I found this poetry book and had already picked out a few poems to read during my speech. However, as it turned out, I didn't need those poems after all. Instead, everything came to me spontaneously, with no prior preparation. Once again, I appreciate your effort in organizing this truly unique and memorable party." He then politely bowed to his audience, smiled warmly, and slowly descended from the podium.