Uncle Ben, do you not understand the difference between a salary and a wage? A wage is paid per hour. A salary is paid per week, month, or year, regardless of the hours worked. When you are on a salary you are expected to do the job, which means putting in as much or as little time as it takes to get it done.
New York state has a minimum wage but it has no minimum salary. The USA does have a minimum salary, which New York has not chosen to supplement.
Also, teachers are professionals. They certainly insist on that and protest loudly if anyone implies that they are not.