Comments on: School Board Reiterates Salary Rationale

By: John Floyd

John Floyd — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:48:06 +0000

Cutting the compensation of all those who actually teach and take care of students, and increasing the pay of the position with the least contact with students, is the wrong thing to do. It tells our teachers that administration is more important than teaching, and that it’s OK for sacrifice to be unequal. No superintendent will have moral authority with those he is supposed to lead, coming in under these circumstances, whatever his “vision”. To propose such an increase, while also discussing a new push for more local taxes, suggests a further disconnect between our board, and people’s lives. This re-inforces a theme I ran on this fall, that un-contested elections produce un-accountable officials, and lead to bad public policy.

My focus has been city council, someone else has to attend to the Board of Education.

By: Cendra Lynn

Cendra Lynn — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:19:36 +0000

I just love Trustee Mexicotte’s logic in response to likely community outrage over the way-too-high salary: “We will support our new superintendent as a community because we need that person to succeed.” We may, but the point is we are not giving YOU, the Board, support for spending our money unnecessarily. The fact that there will likely not be a raise in the next decade is irrelevant. As long as districts offer ridiculous sums to entice people, no one will stay ten years. We should hire someone already part of our school system who has shown committment, pay them well, and put the rest of the money into (gasp!) educating our children.

By: Steven Norton

Steven Norton — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:18:39 +0000

Hmmm. Well, I’m not a huge fan of the increased salary range for the new superintendent, but not because I don’t think a talented person in that position isn’t worth it. Just seems to me that moderation is the watchword of the day.

On the other hand, it IS difficult, politically and otherwise, to give superintendents mid-term increases. And given the circumstances we find ourselves in, we’re not likely to feel “comfortable” doing that anytime in the next number of years. A good superintendent, as Todd Roberts was, is critical to guiding a district through difficult times and building a strong foundation for the future. I have a pretty good idea how much time Dr. Roberts spent on the job, and I am still amazed at the patience of his family. This is one of many places where short term savings will cost us in the long run.

While we have been working on the achievement gap for a long time, to say that nothing has changed is simply wrong. There have been huge strides forward in making sure instruction is effective for every child, and the results show that the achievement gap narrows the longer children have attended AAPS. There is more work to be done, and that is the point of the efforts being discussed now. Of course parent support is important, but that doesn’t absolve all of us as a community from making sure our schools do the best they can for each child.

Finally, Rob, you may be disappointed to learn that Trustee Mexicotte was just re-elected to finish a 2 year term. She, like the other four candidates on the ballot, ran unopposed. I supported all those candidates, but I continue to be puzzled by the disjunction between the fuming I read on various blogs and what people are willing to do in reality. In any case, rather than voting in school board elections only when you are upset, I encourage you and all residents of AAPS to follow developments on the school board, evaluate candidates (there are usually two seats up each November) and vote in every election. That’s a much more effective way of getting your voice heard.

By: ROB

ROB — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 03:21:18 +0000

Mexicotte’s pretzel logic rationale for this idiocy clearly illustrates one of the many problems with public school administrators around here… lack of contact with reality. The days when salaries go up every year as a matter of course are OVER. Given the inflated level to which they have risen, it is far more likely they will decline significantly over the coming years, as revenues and population continue to do likewise. I don’t normally vote in school board elections, but I will make a point of so doing in the next one. Time for Deb to go.

By: ScratchingmyHead

ScratchingmyHead — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:25:49 +0000

In reviewing Deb Mexicotte rationale for setting the incoming superintendent salary, I’m not so sure these are the best reasons for doing so. For example; she states that we need to set the salary with the next decade in mind…that there is a likelihood that a new superintendent will receive very small raises in the future; the salary is complimentary to those in a university town; he/she will help to close the achievement gap; address future budget issues, etc. She also states that we don’t need a competent manager but a visionary. No matter what superintendent is hired, he/she will have to contend with budget issues and more than likely some cuts will have to be made. I assume those cuts will be be in consultation with the board and the community and will be in the best interest of educating our children. Furthermore, a new board down the line will find reasons to give a new super large increases in raises especially after a performance review. I’m not sure I know what her concept of “visionary leadership” is. Sure it sounds good and high minded but what is she really talking about when she says visionary? As far as closing the achievement gap, the district administrators over the years have offered any number of plans to address this issue with limited success. Regardless of who is hired, closing the achievement gap is going to require the active engagement of parents and a supportive community from whence these kids come. However, its not PC to talk about parent and community accountability so we’ll make closing the achievement gap a requirement of the new super. I’m confounded as to whether we are we hiring a faculty member for the UM or a AAPS superintendent. Otherwise, why would setting a salary range be tied into this being a university town. I guess there must be a direct relationship between intelligence, competency, salary and university town.