I recently moved to the Edinburg School District with my two children who attend Edinburg schools. I was impressed by the activity of the community in the school district, but I became disappointed because it seems that instead of activity of the community for the students, it is political activity in the interest of a few.
More specifically, I watched and asked questions when the school board made the bold move to “reassign” the Athletic Director. I figured it was because none of our teams had a winning season in a long while. I was horrified when someone vandalized a business owned by a school board member by pouring gasoline and leaving a note referring to the “reassignment”! I was starting to feel as if I had moved into a filming of Scarface: Don’t Mess with My Football Coach. In this blockbuster, Robert Alaniz is Tony Montana and the football coaches are his highly paid thugs. Before the school board was brave enough to move Mr. Alaniz and make fiscal changes, coaches were allowed to have more than two stipends. They are also paid a daily rate for extra days. In most school districts coaches are paid a fixed rate. J. M. Salinas is one of the highest paid coaches at Edinburg High School. Salinas received his regular salary plus an additional $7,200.00 as the Bobcat’s defensive coordinator. Apparently, the football season had an additional 20 days so he received an extra $5,862.00. He also received $1,900 as the intramurals coach and $2,300.00 as the off season coordinator. His stipends totaled $17,262. $72,476 total salary to be exact! Not to be outdone, J. R. Salinas at Economedes High School received four stipends totaling $21,521.00. At Edinburg North High School, Jose Gaspar received $17,163 in stipends. Harwell Middle School coach Rafael De Leon had three stipends and extra day pay totaling $11,022.00. Diana Romero of B.L. Garza Middle School (also Alaniz’ niece) had 4 stipends and extra day pay of $7,100.00. B.L. Garza Middle School coach Javier Garza had four stipends and extra day pay totaling$14,699.00.
Game playing belongs on the field not in coaches’ offices and especially not in public offices. Athletics play an important role in our community and good coaches should be well paid. However, this policy of overpayment and extra stipends is an abuse. Stop prostituting our system, our kids and our monies. By the way, stay away from my doors…I don’t really like the smell of gasoline.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Wow! As a parent with children currently in the ECISD, I gotta admit I'm a bit disappointed to read something like this. I've always taken pride in the Edingburg schools and the school officials, but after learning this, I cant help but feel a bit cheated. I go out and vote when board elections come around, and I try to be as involved as possible with my children's school lives as any good parent is, and to be honest with you, I've always felt confident that i can trust those responsible for my children's education. Now, however, I feel naive for having believed that the Board had the students best interest in mind. You're right, Lois, this is an abuse.
Post a Comment