[Principled]

If the low pay isn't meeting their needs, they are surely free to choose another profession.

That's exactly what they do. That's why this country will be short several million teachers in the coming years. Maybe you will apply? :)

Yes summer, this is how the free market operates. Individuals and business place value on goods and services. Goods and services (including labor) are priced to produce another good or service that must eventually be sold to individual consumers. If not enough individual consumers perceive value in a good/service, then the good/service isn't sold.

In time, we hope, individuals will enhance their perceived value of education. Then folks would be willing to pay more for that service. As it is now, folks don't see the same value in public education that they DO see in private education.

Public education must become valuable to consumers. How to do this is the frequent debate.

Like riding public transportation, public education has become an "inferior good". That is to say, the more money you have to spend, the less likely you are to utilize public education - and similarly, the less money you have, the more likely you are to utilize public education.

The value of public education must increase. That much is plain to see. IMHO, removing them from government control would do the trick.

BTW, it's not only money that draws one to and keeps one teaching.

[summer]

Yes, I know all that already.

[summer]

IMHO, removing them from government control would do the trick.

Well, I not convinced that this is the answer, because I have seen, up close, what happens when education becomes a business, as in private schools: for teachers, everything gets worse, in terms of salary and benefits.

[summer]

IMHO, removing them from government control would do the trick.

Well, I am NOT conviniced that this is the answer, because I have seen, up close, what happens when education becomes a business, as in private schools: for teachers, everything gets worse, in terms of salary and benefits.

Private school have two distinct advantages: (1) they do not have to take every students; and (2) they get rid of students very quickly.

Here is a joke told amongst public school teachers: Yes, we can immediately improve test scores, if you let us do what private schools do -- we pick and choose which students we take into our school.