25+ years ago we behaved in class...
25+ years ago teachers were trained to teach
basics and then build upon them.
Now they are trained that books are bad, vocab is bad
and math? That new math mess? Well just look
at the declining test results to see how successful that agenda was. Not.
There are less and less older teachers, so yes the younger ones were more cliquish with the kids.
The older teachers mostly quit.
My kids used to always tell me "Miss you are not cool."
To which I replied. "I never have been."
I had to reteach kids in Chem class algebra in a traditional manner so they could actually do traditional Chem Science. By the end of the year they finally said " ah, now we understand why it has to be done that way."
The new ed solution? Change science so it can be buried next to math.
My answer was maybe. Just as in other professions, some teachers work above and beyond what is expected of them. These teachers so deserve more money.
Unfortunately,they, in my experience, are a small minority. What I've seen first hand are resentful shrewish women and men who don't like their jobs and who don't like their students. From upper elementary on, they want to be cool and a member of one of the student in cliques. They abuse the authority they have over the students.
These have been my observations after dong volunteer work in schools for more than 30 years. I will say that the teachers 25-30 years ago were more dedicated and actually tried to teach. The kids respected them. Sure they joked about them but in the classroom, they showed respect and were obedient.
Quoting: juju 
