Who works for whom? TB Baba Metzia 97

According to Rava “civil servants” work for the public. What is the halakha when somebody borrows something from them? “Rava says: A teacher of children, the local gardener, the local butcher, and the local bloodletter, and a scribe of the city, with regard to all of them, if someone borrows an item from them at the time of their work, he is exempt from liability, as the case is comparable to borrowing an item and borrowing or hiring its owner with it. These people are always considered in the employ of the residents of the place where they work.” (Sefaria.org translation)

When Rava’s approach is used against him, he responds quite differently. “The Rabbis said to Rava: Master, you are lent to us to teach us Torah, and so if we borrow an item from you, we should be exempt from liability. These Rabbis stated this based on Rava’s own ruling. Rava was angered by this and said to them: Do you want to take my money away from me? On the contrary, I am not lent to you; rather, you are lent to me, since you assist me in consolidating my Torah knowledge. And this is the proof that it is you who are assisting me: Whereas I am able to deflect you from one tractate to another tractate because I am not obligated to teach specifically that which you want to learn, you are not able to deflect me from what I wish to teach.” (Sefaria.org translation) The students hold that the teacher “works” for them while Rava counters that they “work” for him.

The Gemara compromises and states that there are times that the students “work” for the teacher in their times when the teacher “works” for the students. “The Gemara comments: But it is not so that a teacher is never lent to his students. During the days of the kalla, the gatherings for Torah study during Elul and Adar, the teacher is required to teach a specific subject, and therefore he is lent to them. During the rest of the days of the year, they are lent to him, as he can teach whatever subject matter he wishes.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Does Rabbi Chanina agree with Rava when he says, “I have learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues and most from students.” (TB Taanit 7a)?

What do you think? Who works for whom?