My only advice is this - there is no reason to respond. A smile and a simple "no" is all you should offer. In the end, all you need to do is be you. We can't control what others do and think. It's called "letting go" in a way. The more we try to change the world and what others say, think, and do, the more disappointed we'll become. Now, that isn't to say we let people walk all over us - that's another story. I can still get into fight mode when I need to, but we pick our battles carefully. I'm a HS teacher and a HS basketball coach - I've had at least two parents call me "the worst coach in the school" in public. In fact, my teams have won over 200 games in my 13 years as head coach. There will always be someone, ignorant or otherwise, that looks to pull us down. These people thrive on conflict and controversy and almost always act and speak in self-interest. I know what I'm capable of doing and so do you. In the end, that's all that matters. And let's not forget the quiet majority that have always been in our corner. They believe in us.