What Digby Said

While discussing The Daily Show on Wisconsin and the teacher-bashing:

This attack on teachers has a very strange tinge to it. It was a traditionally female profession and I think it's still more heavily weighted to women than men, especially in the lower grades. Watching a bunch of red faced, right wingers attacking them for being selfish, lazy fat cats is disturbing and I can't help but wonder if the loathing for people like this runs a little deeper than politics

Watching those clips is pretty fascinating. The wingnuts don't compare teachers with other workers with the same education but with everybody, or at least imaginary people who bear grudges.

The former comparison would provide a very different picture, you know. Teachers earn less than others with similar degrees. That is partly compensated for by the longer vacations and more flexible work days, both reasons why women are more likely to choose teaching as an occupation. It dovetails with the traditional ideas of who should be in charge with children.