The comment is more than 10 days old now, but it continues to rankle. Like an ingrown toenail, persistent indigestion or a stubborn raspberry seed in between two teeth.
Donald Trump Jr., in introducing his father at an El Paso, Texas rally, used the term "loser teachers" in attempting to make a point about young conservatives fighting for a voice in their schools.
"I love seeing some young conservatives [in the audience], because I know it's not easy," he said. "Keep up that fight, bring it to your schools. You don't have to be indoctrinated by these loser teachers that are trying to sell you on socialism from birth. You don't have to do it. Because you can think for yourselves, they can't."
If we were Donald Trump Jr.'s father, we might tell him we don't need any more helpful introductions, especially ones that alienate the 3.2 million full-time teachers in America's public schools and more in private schools.
Surely we can all acknowledge that in every profession, from presidents to teachers to exterminators to police, there are individuals who don't measure up to the job. They don't have the training or the patience or the stamina or the intelligence for the work. In a perfect world, they are quietly dismissed (or not re-elected) and must find another line of work.
Although the younger Trump has not followed up his comments with any explanation, we don't believe he was talking about those teachers.
No, and truly unfortunately, we think he was painting with a broad brush the entire teaching profession because of what might be in the curriculum they are asked to teach, how some might inject their personal viewpoints into their work, the strong leftward lean of public teachers unions (and their political contributions) or the opposition by public school supporters to broader education choices for students.
Each of those is a valid problem and worth examination by conservatives who want their children to have the best education, but lumped together they are not a club with which to beat up classroom teachers.
Classroom teachers by and large are underpaid and underappreciated and teach in schools that are often underequipped. They buy supplies for their classrooms, put in hours for which they'll never be paid and go the extra mile with students in ways the public never sees.
Compared with teachers 50 years ago - OK, boomer! - they have more paperwork, less authority to discipline, less support from parents and a more diverse population to handle.
We believe almost every adult, no matter where life has taken them, can look back on one or more teachers and recall how they received moral support, extra help, confidence or a caring arm around a shoulder.
Perhaps they opened one's life to books, to the potential for a career, to be someone they never dreamed they could be, or even to being the same kind of teacher that was modeled for them.
Surely even if Donald Trump Jr. knew one day he would be working for his father's Trump Organization, he had some teacher at Buckley School or the Hill School - the exclusive private schools he attended- who gave him a guiding hand. Surely some of them weren't losers.
If he were confronted with what he said, the younger Trump today might say he was only referring to those teachers "trying to sell you on socialism from birth." Although some teachers have some far left leanings, we're pretty sure no public or private curriculum advocates the teaching of "socialism from birth."
Nobody wants to be called a loser. We can't believe the president's son believes all or most teachers are losers.
On the other hand, Donald Jr. is his father's son. One of the things that confounds us about the elder Trump, despite the good he's done for the country, is his inability to refrain from affixing derogatory names to people or saying unkind things about them. How much better would the good he has done look if he didn't turn around and berate someone, insult someone else or demean a third person.
Nevertheless, we don't believe the president takes education for granted. Since he took office, his Department of Education has expanded 529 education savings plans, restored year-round access to Pell Grants, created new partnerships for apprenticeship opportunities, increased innovative options for higher education and pulled back federal overreach by the department.
For our money, and in our experience, teachers are heroes, shepherds, confidants and guides to the future. We're sure Donald Trump Jr. has had a few people remind him of that since his remarks, and we hope he'll think twice before making any similar comments.