Teacher tenure has been abolished under the assumption that merit pay encourages greater strategic effort. Contracts were considered a better way of directing the best pay toward the best teachers. But only 25 percent of Jackson County Schools’ 182 qualified teachers may be awarded a contract. The school system considered using a point system to determine who gets the contracts. Then, they decided to use a lottery. Their lawyer told them that would not be possible, but now he has had a change of heart. Whereas the point system would reward teachers who are good kisser-uppers, the lottery would reward teachers who just be.