Why can the word pedagogue have a negative meaning?

While the term pedagogue originated from the Greek paidagōgos—referring to an attendant or slave responsible for escorting children to school—it has evolved to carry a negative connotation in modern usage.12

Unlike related terms such as pedagogy or pedagogical, which remain neutral descriptors for the theory and practice of education, pedagogue is frequently used to characterize a teacher as dull, overly formal, or pedantic. This shift in meaning is similar to the evolution of the word pedant, which also began as a simple term for a tutor but transitioned to describe someone who makes an ostentatious show of knowledge or focuses excessively on minor details and rules.234

Consequently, while the word can still technically denote a teacher or schoolmaster, its modern application often implies an unimaginative or rigid approach to instruction.123