Wall Street protesters: We're in for the long haul

[DGuller]

Fair enough.  I start from the assumption that teacher producitivity is more or less constant across all states and conclude that teachers in unionized states are overpaid based on the salary differential between those states and right to work states.

What kind of an assumption is that? 

[Admiral Yi]

What kind of an assumption is that? 

Don't Raz out on me.  If you have some reason to suppose that average teacher productivity in union states is on the order of 40% higher than in right to work states, spit it out.

[garbon]

Fair enough.  I start from the assumption that teacher producitivity is more or less constant across all states and conclude that teachers in unionized states are overpaid based on the salary differential between those states and right to work states.

Yi that makes about as much sense as when you told me that basic foodstuffs don't cost different prices in different places.  Where's the factoring in of differences in living costs - or are you just saying the average of salaries across unionized states vs. average across right to work states?

[DGuller]

What kind of an assumption is that? 

Don't Raz out on me.  If you have some reason to suppose that average teacher productivity in union states is on the order of 40% higher than in right to work states, spit it out.

For one, the large disparity in test results between states.  For all we know, maybe Mississippi teachers are just as productive as Massachusetts teachers, and some other factor is entirely responsible for the difference, but that wouldn't exactly be my starting assumption.

[crazy canuck]

Yi, I am not sure how you are thinking about productivity but the socio-economic conditions of the students they teach probably have a signficant impact on "productivity" by any measure one might consider.  I doubt that all States have uniform socio-economic conditions.

[Razgovory]

What kind of an assumption is that? 

Don't Raz out on me.  If you have some reason to suppose that average teacher productivity in union states is on the order of 40% higher than in right to work states, spit it out.

Nice of you to bring me up. Why not assume that non unionized employees are under-payed?

[Admiral Yi]

For one, the large disparity in test results between states.  For all we know, maybe Mississippi teachers are just as productive as Massachusetts teachers, and some other factor is entirely responsible for the difference, but that wouldn't exactly be my starting assumption.

Why not?  As crazy canuck pointed out socioeconomic differences are a major driver.  Compare apples and apples.  Iowa and Wisconsin have very similar demographics, yet Wisconsin teachers average 73K while Iowa teachers average 45K.  Do you really think Wisconsin teachers are 62% more productive than Iowa teachers?

Raz: your question has already been answered.  Right to work states are not having noticeable difficulty in filling teaching positions.

[Neil]

Who are the posters here who are staunch defenders of cops?

That would be me.

And me.  Spraying malcontents with poison?  This guy is a hero.

[Razgovory]

Raz: your question has already been answered.  Right to work states are not having noticeable difficulty in filling teaching positions.

Lots of states are having difficulty filling teaching positions.

[Eddie Teach]

States such as Georgia, Japan, China and South Korea.

[Valmy]

Lots of states are having difficulty filling teaching positions.

Depends on the type of position.  High level math and science teachers are hard to come by since people with those skills usually have better opportunities.