The discourse around public education in recent times presents an abysmal picture of failing public schools delivering low levels of learning. The key constituent held responsible for this failure is the permanent teacher of government schools who is supposedly taking undue advantage of "high salaries" paid according to the recommendations of the Pay Commission. Is it fair, or even practically useful, to hold teachers responsible for this apparent failure when they are only a part of a system? Could there be a bigger picture, a more complex explanation? The authors are teachers who have taught for many years in elementary and secondary schools in Delhi. They opted to come into the public system believing that they had something to contribute. In this essay, they share some of their experiences and reflections.