A few months ago a new Seattle Schools Superintendent was announced. Jose Banda is his name and by his own words “plans on taking it slow” to look at all the data. Supposedly, he is likes reviewing the numbers/data before making the hard decisions. We of course have reported the issues with the previous Seattle Superintendent Maria Goodloe Johnson. I would like to give Jose Banda the benefit of a clean slate since he is just starting out but we unfortunately are already starting off on the wrong foot. I directly blame the Seattle School board and the City Council for this mess and you should also. I have said it time and time again on this Journal and that is changes in the School Districts must start at the top. Upper management spends all the money on themselves and the penny’s leftover are filtered down to the Teachers who usually are forced to pay for their own classroom supplies (and other student expense).
Previously, Maria Goodloe Johnson was being paid a fortune and turns out Jose Banda got even a better deal. His annual salary (with 3 year contract) is $270,000. Are kidding me? He also will be making (its unsure if this is additional or included) an annual $22,000 and $700 per month car expenses to help him out. Obviously, money is not an issue at the Schools here in Seattle! Seriously, it’s just corruption to pay something this much when the school could have hired 3 superindentents for that kind of money. 3 Superindendents working together to clean up the schools would have produced better results in the end.
Take note, you heard the complaint here first and when the question comes asking for more money (I expect that anytime) you’ll know who to ask to barrow a few bucks from (Welcome Jose Banda).
