[who knows what evil?]

If teacher pay were based on performance and merit; they wouldn’t be paid minimum wage.

[Born Conservative]

Do you mean they would then be paid BELOW minimum wage?

[Edit35]

If teacher pay were based on performance and merit; they wouldn’t be paid minimum wage.

Not sure where you live, but teachers in my neck of the woods hardly make "minimum wage." (Bucks County, Pennsylvania)

The starting salary of a public school teacher right out of college is about $43,000 (plus generous benefits) ...

Within two years, they make about $55,000 a year plus ADDITIONAL benefits.... such as 100% paid top line Blue Cross, plus a district-state matched pension.

And within seven (7) years they 'max' out, so to speak, at between $85,000 and $100,000 depending on which school districk they work at.

If they coach a sport, or do any extra-cirricular activity they receive an additional $5,000-$7,000 each year.

Add in the fully paid sabaticals and the fact they only work 9 months a year (actually only 185 working days)... they hardly make minimum wage.