Joanne Jacobs points to this report that reveals a shocking wage gap.
Among superintendents, females out-earn males by more than $9,000, a margin of about 8 percent. District leaders from black and Hispanic racial and ethnic backgrounds earn average salaries between 21 percent and 25 percent higher than their white counterparts. Pay is highest for black and Hispanic females with average annual salaries topping $155,000.
Since many liberals appear to believe that every racially identifiable wage gap can be explained only by discrimination, should we conclude that these numbers are the result of discriminatory policies?
I dunno about this one at first glance (you have to register to read the entire article). Is this the result of a nationwide average — not taking into account regional differences in pay, especially in inner cities where the cost of living in usually higher (and which may employ more minorities)?
Recall the standard line about women earning “76 cents to each dollar earned by men.” The explanation (rarely told) is b/c of the career choices of women — the fraction is derived by averaging salaries of ALL women in jobs and ALL men in jobs. Women tend to choose career paths where pay is generally lower. When one actually looks at men and women in like career positions, there is virtually no “pay gap.”
I don’t know anything about the subject, but you’re probably right, Dave, as the data at the link show large salary differences based on region, district size, and community type. Large urban districts in the East and West pay the most, while small rural districts in the Midwest and Rockies pay the least. Community type appears to the largest factor – much greater than sex or race – with urban districts paying 88% more than rural ones.
Dave and Nels make good points, but I think the point of the post is that such considerations never come into play when the gap favors other races.