Are "Mormons" Protestants"

In fifth grade during our world history lessons, we learned about religions and how the Protestant churches broke away from the Catholic Church. Our teacher listed many churches that were Protestant. The Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was on that list. I remember thinking, "Oh, that's where we fit it. Yes, Joseph Smith did not know which church to join so he started his own, just as the other Protestant reformers had done." When I talked to my parents about what I had learned, they were quick to correct me. As would happen many times during my schooling, it took me a little while to accept that my parents might know more than my teacher and that my teacher could be wrong.
What I learned from my parents and now understand for myself is that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored church from Jesus Christ's day. When Peter and the other apostles were killed, the priesthood or power to act in God's name was taken from the earth. Thus followed years of the persecution of Christians or those who believed in Christ, the growth of the Catholic church, and later a desire for reformation and for the scriptures to be in the hands of the people. We call this time the Great Apostasy and the Dark Ages. There was no longer a prophet on the earth. Many reformers sacrificed their lives to make religion accessible to the people. Because of those reformers, the time was ripe for many to protest against the Catholic church and develop their own religions, Protestant. As a young man, Joseph Smith was confused about which religion to join. They all spoke of Christ but differed in other regards. He read in James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  At the age of fourteen Joseph Smith went to the woods to pray to know which church to join. God, the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him to join none of the churches and that through him the gospel would be restored.
Through Joseph Smith the priesthood was restored. He was the first prophet of the restoration, a man who talked with God and received revelation for the church and the world. Our church is a restoration of Christ's church with apostles and prophets.
We are not Protestants. We are Mormons, a nickname given to us because of The Book of Mormon, scripture translated by Joseph Smith. In a talk given by Thomas S. Monson, a prophet and the current President of our church, he tells of a time when he stood alone because he did not label himself with the Protestants. A video was created of his experience, "Dare to Stand Alone."
We are Christian. We believe in Christ. We preach of Christ. We talk of Christ. The atonement of Christ is real in my life.