Condemns BOR for Monks' pay hike

To the Editor: I am extremely concerned over the board of education’s recent failure to enforce appropriate restraints over a school administration that appears to be running amok on certain issues and totally out of control on others. While I have bitten my tongue and holstered my pen over all of their previous transgressions, the recent episode in which Dr. Monks’ salary was increased by 18 percent over a period of less than nine months has given me great concern. What is the justification, and where is the accountability? It is my understanding that Dr. Monks’ second salary increase in the aforementioned nine-month period was recommended by the superintendent based upon her “miraculous ability” to raise test scores. Isn’t this what she was hired to do? The board apparently performed as dutiful sheep in rubber stamping their approval. In the past, teachers have been made to wait many months beyond the end of their contract to receive their salary increases. They are hired to teach and apparently are doing that quite well if test scores are going up. Therefore, aren’t they also entitled to 18 percent increases for doing what they were hired to do? As a taxpayer, I am concerned that this instance of fiscal irresponsibility is only one example and that “where there’s smoke ...” If we, as taxpayers, can’t trust the administration to make fiscally sound recommendations, and the board to represent us by responsibility evaluating those recommendations and approving only those that are prudent, how can we have any faith when they tell us that an expenditure of $109,000,000 is necessary to solve the school crisis? Ralph Cashell Sparta