So you tell me - do you think that message (or any message that goes against an LDS policy) will not be subtly transmitted by an instructor? I do
Maybe I am just
being dense on this issue. But, what is the 'message' that you think would be subtly transmitted by the instructor you mention? Was the comment to you made in some kind of negative, whining way? Was it something along the line of, "Whine, whine, the @#$ LDS won't let me use non-shop brands in my teaching, so they are forcing me to get rid of a perfectly good rig! Whine, whine.'? If so, that was simply unprofessional behavior on the part of the instructor, and had little to do with his compensation, and more to do with his maturity and professionalism.
I have several rigs / gear items that are not in any brand line that my (current) shop carries. In part, I have many of them because they
were in a brand line that my former (now closed) shop carried. I choose not to use them in my teaching of shop classes, simply as a matter of respect for the business interests of the shop. That doesn't mean they are better than, or worse than, the brand lines that my current shop carries. The fact that business is involved doesn't affect my assessment. Frankly, if I thought one of those 'non-shop' lines was somehow conspicuously better / safer / more functional than anything my current shop carries, I would have no reservation about telling student that. But, I also have no problem telling a student that I prefer to use brand lines that my shop carries, that we carry good gear, and I have ready access to those brand lines at very favorable prices, so it makes sense for me to use those brands. That is just being honest and has nothing to do with whether I am a volunteer instructor or a paid instructor. So, I could easily say, that I am not going to hold onto a piece of gear to loan to students, because it is not in my shop's brand line and I can easily obtain an equivalent rig in that brand line at a good price, so there is no reason for me to hold onto to the rig. Fortunately, I don't have such an issue. If I want to use a non-shop brand in teaching, because it happens to fits the needs of the class and student, my shop is supportive of that.
Going back to my original question to freewillow, I would really like to read his explanation of his comment. It could be what tursiops suggests. But, I would like to be sure I understand before I draw any conclusions.