In the June 29 Turner Report, I explained how misleading it was for Lamar R-1 officials to talk about administrators receiving only a 6.7 percent raise compared to eight percent for teachers.
I used the example of a teacher who makes $25,000.
If that teacher receives an eight percent raise, I wrote, the teacher will be making $27,000 and earning a $2,000 pay increase. For the administrator I mentioned a salary of $60,000. While the 6.7 percent is a smaller percentage, the administrator who already makes much more money ends up getting a bigger pay hike.
One of the comments to that post noted that R-1 Superintendent Mike Resa was brought in at a salary of more than $80,000 (about what his predecessor, Barbara Burns, had been making, the reader said). The 6.7 percent increase would amount to more than $5,000 a year. I am not begrudging the superintendent the pay increase if those figures are accurate, but please don't insult district patrons' intelligence by trying to make it seem like administrators are not receiving a comparable pay increase to teachers. It's that kind of bureaucratic doubletalk that ends up costing the taxpayers a bundle every time.
You are making it look like Mr. Resa salary is out of line. If you will read Wed. Democrat, it list Liberal superintendent at a salary of 72,100 and the Lamar district is probably twice what Liberals is. Nobody seems to be bad-mouthing Mr. Harvey for his pay. I understand that you think they were trying to "put on over" on people by stating that the increase for the administration was lower than that of the teachers, but, it seems to me that you are trying to make Resa the bad guy again because of his salary.
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely not trying to make Mr. Resa the bad guy. Unfortunately, this percentage increase business goes on at many schools. It just happens that I picked up on this particular one through Chris Morrow's story in the Democrat. No remarks were made that anyone was being overpaid, but it is ridiculous to talk about an eight percent raise for people who make $25,000, being more than a 6.7 percent raise for someone who makes $80,000.
ReplyDeleteOK, I'll say it, based on the job, $80,000 + is overpayment.
ReplyDeleteI'll say it and not be embarassed by it. Superintendents are all over paid. Everything is pretty much mandated by the state and the superintendent is for the most part a figurehead. When one of your biggest worries is if your paying your coaches enough to compete with over schools, I'd say your grossly overpaid. Why pay someone a large salary to lie and deceive the patrons of the school district.
ReplyDeleteI'll say it and not be embarassed by it. Superintendents are all over paid. Everything is pretty much mandated by the state and the superintendent is for the most part a figurehead. When one of your biggest worries is if your paying your coaches enough to compete with other schools, I'd say your grossly overpaid. Why pay someone a large salary to lie and deceive the patrons of the school district.
ReplyDeleteIt really is past time to get the State and Federal governments out of the education business.
ReplyDeleteThat hit the nail on the head...they are all overpaid. Who set up this stupid scale. Life is life and those in administration are going to earn more, that's how it goes. But how is that figure determined?
ReplyDelete