Not really. Teachers aren't paid well enough compared to other professions, so the opportunity cost is high. My point about the economy is that you want the m

Not really. Teachers aren't paid well enough compared to other professions, so the opportunity cost is high. My point about the economy is that you want the market forces to encourage intelligent people to become teachers. Otherwise, you can get into a dangerous positive feedback loop of uneducated people teaching the next generation. If you make teaching a lousy job by underpaying teachers and treating them poorly, then why would intelligent people who have other career opportunities stick around?