Down the Drain

As we know, Superintendent Kevin Maxwell likes to whine how the school system doesn't have enough money to properly educate students. Well, maybe he can try to explain this:

At a time when the economy is in recession and local governments are tightening belts, the county school system seems to be pouring money into raises for top administrators.

An examination of county payroll records reveals the number of school employees earning more than $100,000 doubled from 213 in 2007 to 450 in fiscal 2009, which started in July.

In addition, the size of raises given to school system employees dwarfs those of other governments and the private sector.

Doubled the number of employees making $100,000 or more. That means that in Fiscal Year 2009, the school system will be paying a minimum of $45 million (not counting benefits) to these employees. That is roughly five percent of the county school system budget, and a pretty damning assessment of Kevin Maxwell's failure to lead considering in June the school system was required to slash jobs, science labs, and other educational necessities due to budget shortfalls.

Nobody can explain to me how a massive Riva Road bureaucracy helps to educate students in the classroom. The system is top heavy, and Maxwell and the majority of the School Board will do nothing to reverse it.

It's getting to the point where Kevin Maxwell needs to be replaced as Superintendent. If Andres Alfonso understands that an oversized school system central office doesn't help educate students, we need to find somebody in Anne Arundel County who will. And sadly, I would be willing to bet that Tricia Johnson and unregistered Democratic lobbyist Teresa Milio Birge support this kind of mismanagement. It's money being poured right down the drain.