A Tennessee public school teacher got paid $4,400 to coach soccer, a sport for which his school hadn't even fielded a team. The school superintendent says "the district may review its practice of paying coaches in advance."
[Hat tip: the stupendously useful Rational Review News.]
Okay, I'll say it: we pay government teachers to educate, but we have plenty of proof that they're not doing that job, either.
How about bonuses paid to CEOs of failing companies? Oh, never mind...
Hughley said he was unable to fill a schedule for the team, and had told school officials in March about the matter. He said he was willing to reimburse the school district.
Sorry. As much as I'd like to get outraged*, it looks like a
bureaucratic SNAFU that nobody is trying to cash in on.
* Nobody at Hit and Run has more disdain for FUBARed
public schools than I do. This doesn't even move the needle on the
outrage meter.
The school superintendent says "the district may review
its practice of paying coaches in advance." "Meh."
FTFY
Given that public school teacers make about $12K per summer not teaching kids, paying only $4.4K for not coaching soccer seems like a bargin.
Brendon: Why aren't you coaching?
Coach McGuirk: I'm letting Drew run the practice. That's what
assistant coaches are for, running the practice.
Brendon: Yeah, I guess.
Coach McGuirk: Assistant coaches are also for doing my
laundry.
Brendon: You know, the team really seems to like him.
Coach McGuirk: And getting me food...
Brendon: Right.
Coach McGuirk: Buying me lottery tickets...
even though you won't find a bigger hater of school teachers' incessant bitching and whining about everything, the trope about not getting paid for the summer is kind of dumb. They have the option of taking their check over the nine months or having it spread out over the whole twelve. The pay's the same (but still too goddamned high).
Hey, if paying people not to grow crops is a part of
agricultural policy, paying people not to coach kids should be a
part of health care policy, right?
(also, what JsubD said)
Does this mean I was wrong to take that check for coaching the Welsley Men's basketball team next year?
the score is still Q to 12!
McGuirk: Alright. Who want's to go with Coach McGuirk to identify a
body? Anybody?
I would be outraged if the school never intended to field a team. What appears to have been the case here was that a soccer team existed, but couldn't come up with a sufficient schedule to qualify for prep sports in that state. This may be a question of insufficient budgeting, not one of fraud.
My high school had both a Calvinball team and an improvisational jazz marching band. Friday nights were interesting.
I have no problem with CEO's of failing companies getting
bonuses if the shareholders, through the board of directors,
approve. It's not my money, it's theirs--unlike the situation with
public schools.
Public schools should be abolished.
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