Determined Quote by Milton Friedman
“With respect to teachers' salaries … Poor teachers are grossly overpaid and good teachers grossly underpaid. Salary schedules tend to be uniform and determined far more by seniority.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: "Free to Choose", 1980
Teacher pay is often misaligned; seniority dominates over merit, leading to underpayment of good teachers and overpayment of poor ones.
In simple terms: Teacher salaries often ignore quality, favoring seniority.
Key Takeaway
Advocate merit‑based pay structures.
Themes
education
salary
meritocracy
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
policy
educational
When to use this quote
- school budgeting
- teacher hiring
- performance reviews
- policy reform
Key Concepts
human capital
incentive design
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can merit be measured fairly?
- What safeguards prevent bias?
A Different Perspective
Changing pay systems can be politically contentious.
