I, too, have been here since 2003 and my background in America is similar to yours. Although your post began by stating that mine was well intentioned but wrong, your post actually highlight my argument, which, simply stated, is that I question the logic of focusing only on the schools and their corrupt ways and their lack of professionalism when it is obvious that misplaced FTs contribute to the problem. Moreover, I have seen that many schools, be they universities or training centers, would rather replace experienced and qualified FTs such as yourself with inexperienced and unqualified FTs who, because of having their own agendas, will be less likely to rock the boat. For such "teachers" it's more about hanging on to that precious visa than it is doing their best to provide quality English training.

Again, I don't disregard the fact that the Chinese education system needs a serious overhaul. Like you, I've seen enough to make me wonder how most schools, of any kind, can call themselves centers of education; however, if you're going to effectively fix anything, you can't just change the nuts and bolts - you've got to dig a little deeper. Examining hiring and rehiring practices will help, but, no, I don't think of that as the final solution. Just trying to keep things balanced, and put this whole question of professionalism into a clearer light.