Despite her condescension toward a student’s message sent to this website about staff layoffs at our school district, a review of Whitewater District Administrator Steinhaus’s own compensation shows that the student — not Steinhaus — has the better argument.
It’s quite a match-up —
(Quick note — there’s a legal fair use right to display these images, one worth exercising and defending.)
On Monday, I posted an email message from a student in our school district. Here’s what the student had to say —
I don’t know if you have heard but recently the WUSD released its tentative cuts for next fall. They might be cutting the 5th grade band program but for sure they are getting rid of Josh Barret the current band director at that level. The administration of course will still be receiving its 10% raise this year though. I feel that this is a serious mismanagement of government at our school level by the administration because most Americans across the country are taking pay cuts now. If you should chose to run with this story you may email me at any time and I will be willing to help you out.
Well, Dr. Steinhaus responded — but not to this website — denying the contention, and pointing out that the message was from a student.
I offered an initial reply earlier this morning. (See, Dr. Steinhaus’s Glass House.)
(I don’t see what difference it makes who wrote to this website — as I pointed out, “she knows very well that it was a student letter” as the email implied as much.)
The irony — her implication might be that one should not consider the student’s opinion seriously, but it’s one of her students, taught in one of her schools.
She should have more confidence in the quality of her own district’s work.
Indeed, much more, as when one considers Dr. Steinhaus’s own compensation, the student hits the mark!
Consider the available public information from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s website.
In 2008, the Wisconsin DPI information on School and Staff Salary Data reveals that Dr. Steinhaus received $118,035 in prorated salary and $41,068 in prorated fringe benefits, for a total of $159,103. (See, Administrative Salary Report, 2008 draft, in Excel.)
For 2009, the Wisconsin DPI information on School and Staff Salary Data reveals that Dr. Steinhaus received $129,039 in prorated salary and $45,368 in prorated fringe benefits, for a total of $174,725. (See, Administrative Salary Report, 2009 draft, in Excel.)
(I performed all these high-level calculations on a genuine HP 35s Scientific Calculator, for those who’d like more information about FREE WHITEWATER’s technological sophistication!)
Dr. Steinhaus disputes a 10% increase, but in her own case, let’s see what it really was…
2008 = $159,103
2009 = $174,725
Increase, year over year = 9.82%.
Is Dr. Steinhaus kidding?
Imagine the arrogance of denying 10%, when in her own case, she had a 9.82% gain, year over year.
How many in Whitewater had a 9.82% gain, year over year?
That’s closer to the national unemployment rate than the compensation gain for workers in this city.
A city with a higher than average poverty-rate for our area.
A city where over one in four students are eligible for federal assistance for lunches.
You know, and I know, that Dr. Steinhaus has been Whitewater’s distaff version of Claude Rains. Yet, for it all, even she must have seen some of our neighborhoods, struggling and troubled even before this severe recession.
In these last weeks, with problem after problem tumbling about her, one might have hoped for more than an incredible denial.
Not true, Dr. Steinhaus?
Oh yes, so very true, indeed.
Advantage…