The law mandated a minimum 25-cent-per-hour wage, in addition to setting the maximum amount of hours most employees could work per week at 44.

FORBES: Minimum Wage: Good Cause Or Economic Pariah?

Mr. Rebell, now executive director of the Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University, agreed that the answer may not lie in setting a dollar amount.

WSJ: School Spending Under Microscope

Indeed, Chinese megashops are hawking low-rate Android tablets right now for around the same amount, setting a new (low) bar when it comes to pricing on ho hum slates.

ENGADGET: Aakash 2 Android tablet materializes, costs around $21 for Indian students