Why Schools Don't Have Enough Money.

       This country's educational system is in decline. Partly because austerity, brought on by budget shortfalls, is facilitating the decline. Every time you read the news or watch TV, you hear about fewer teachers. Cuts to educational programs and fewer options in education.
       Then today I read about a school district Superintendent who is retiring. No big deal. This person was well respected in her community and by the school board. She left her job with a final payout to her for over $800,000. I'd call that a golden parachute. Now you shouldn't misunderstand me, she was fully entitled to that money. It wasn't some board of directors of some bank who decided to give her a fat bonus.
       No, this included almost $200,000 for unused sick days and nearly $140,000 unused vacation days. That along with another $100,000 to retire early. There's a problem here. First off, sick days are a benefit that makes good sense. It's even wise to allow an employee to carry over unused sick days. But a sick day is designed to pay you if you get sick. Your pay continues even though you can't work.
       But if you don't get sick, the benefit to you is that you didn't get sick. Should you get paid extra for not getting sick? I don't think so. That's not fair to the person who does get sick. Nobody chooses to get sick. It isn't even any fun to get sick. If you don't get sick, you should feel blessed. That should be enough.
       Accrued unused vacation days? Shouldn't you take your vacation as prescribed by your contract? Isn't the reason for vacation days to give you the opportunity to get to feel better and therefore to do your job better? Anybody who works year after year after year without taking days off to reboot themselves is doing a disservice to their employer. As though they were indispensable. Being indispensable is a fiction of the mind. Get over yourself. Take a vacation.
       In the meantime, how many teachers would that $800,000 pay for? How many more programs could be offered? How much could taxes be cut? $200,000 for unused sick days. It's sickening.