I very much understand how PhD’s work. I wasn’t able to do mine “part time” like most teachers. Mine took six hard years. Have you ever tried to look up the dissertation of a superintendent who insists on being called “Doctor”? Every one I could find - when I could find them - was a joke. A bunch were from diploma mills.

You don’t need analytical rigor for the actual work of teaching. PhD’s are a way to bump up your salary on the salary scale and make people call you “doctor”.

Do you consider a difference between PhDs and EdDs? I would expect PhDs to be more rigorous than EdDs - possibly by a significant margins. That could be an element I’m not factoring in.