The occupation of teaching has many of the characteristics of a profession. It was once a calling that had the same degree of respect given to members of the clergy, but somewhere in the evolution of teaching in the United States, that sense of respect has been diminished, especially by policymakers who impose punitive actions when students fail to meet policy mandates. There are many attempts to improve teaching emanating from the U.S. Department of Education, state departments of education, and organizations. There are many strategies on how to improve teaching, but very few coming from teachers. How can teachers claim to be professionals if all of their actions are mandated and regulated from outside of the schoolhouse? What keeps them from demonstrating to policymakers that they can fearlessly address all of the learning challenges they face in classrooms every day? The authors will address those questions by exploring the emergence of the teaching profession, why it has met challenges getting there, and how teachers can fearlessly show that they are true professionals.