If Wisconsin goes through with removing collective-bargaining rights from its teachers, it likely would be bad for Wisconsin, but it could be good for Minnesota.

Five states do not allow their teachers to have collective bargaining rights. They are Texas, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Reporter Maureen Downey of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution pointed out that those states and their ACT/SAT rankings are:

South Carolina – 50th

North Carolina – 49th

Georgia – 48th

Texas – 47th

Virginia – 44th

Wisconsin, she noted, ranks second in the country. The implication is that the states without collective bargaining for teachers have struggling education systems.

States compete for attracting companies and jobs. Quality of education is a factor.

If Wisconsin’s education system declines over the years as quality teachers look for work in other states, then it sure makes it easier for Minnesota — which is tied with Wisconsin in second place — to compete with its neighbor when attracting corporations to do business here.

Minnesota’s well-educated workforce always has been an asset when recruiting companies. Of course, Minnesota still would have to contend with Iowa, which ranks first.