The inbox for the Editorial Department this morning was loaded with comments from people not pleased with a plan to pay Sharon Liddell $25,000 to stay on as superintendent of Santa Rosa city schools. Here are some of the comments:
“It would appear that the Santa Rosa School Board has to knuckle under to a type of extortion because of a threat to leave the district by the school superintendent. The $25,000 of public money – tax dollars – being used to appease her ex-husband might be considered a gift of public funds. These funds should be used to educate children, not settle a personal matter . . . .” – Lanny Keyston, Sebastopol.
“The math just doesn’t add up in the $25,000 payoff to Liddell. Too many unanswered questions. Why does $25,000 make or break a decision to pack up and move out of state? Why does someone already earning $175,000 a year need the $25,000? . . . How can one in good conscience support a hefty bonus to the leader of a cash strapped agency currently cutting back on teachers and programs?”- D. Don Johnson, Santa Rosa
“As parents of Hidden Valley Elementary School students, we are disgusted and appalled by the so-called business practices of Santa Rosa City Schools with regards to Sharon Liddell’s $25,000 ‘incentive payment’. In light of the current state budget fiasco, how dare she return and literally take money directly out of our children’s pockets to pay for her divorce settlement. And all of this during a time where the parent-faculty organizations are actually discussing fund-raising in order to pay for toilet paper. . .” – Patrice Moore and Katrin Ciaffa, Santa Rosa.
What are your thoughts?
-Paul Gullixson
