As Tucson Unified School Board member Michael Hicks worked to clarify issues related to Superintendent H.T. Sanchez’s new employment contract, Sanchez moved to tighten his grip on what Board members can and cannot do.
In a Letter to the Editor, Hicks noted that the Arizona Daily Star, in an “editorial on H.T. Sanchez’s salary increase (‘24 percent raise,” 6/14/16) omitted several important points. First, the process was hidden and quick. Mark Stegeman and I heard nothing about the new contract terms until we arrived at the meeting, and TUSD’s attorney said publicly that we could reveal its details only after the vote.”
Hicks continued, “Second, the board-approved contract included a $30,000 raise for the fiscal year about to end on June 30. This retroactive raise was later deleted because of legal concerns but reveals much about TUSD’s leadership.”
“Finally, on top of direct compensation far exceeding $400,000 for fiscal year 2015-16, the new contract increases Sanchez’s paid leave to 50 days, with each unused day redeemable for $1,000. These are in addition to six “personal” days off and 15 “sick” days (and 21 days off for holidays). No one else in TUSD gets 71 days of paid leave,” concluded Hicks.
On Tuesday, the Board will be asked once again to approve even more money for Sanchez in the form of his bonus for this past year. The goals, upon which the bonus is based are highly subjective, and it is certain that Board President Adelita Grijalva and Board members Cam Juarez and Kristel Foster will vote as a block to award the entire sum of over $12,000.
The District’s lawyer has also suggested a policy that would restrict the Board’s independent oversight of schools: “A Board member who would like to visit a campus shall contact the Superintendent to schedule a campus visit.”
This policy could be helpful to principals like Augie Romero at Pueblo, who frequently expresses his disdain for Republicans. Luckily, with Hicks being the only Republican on the Board, the odds that Romero would have to make adjustments for a Board visitor is small.
In case a Board member should stray onto a campus, “The Campus Principal shall notify the Superintendent of any unscheduled visits, so the Superintendent can work with the Board member to properly schedule a visit.” Also, “A Board Member who visits a campus shall refrain from asking a Campus Principal questions that may place the Campus Principal in a difficult situation with his/her supervisors.”
Although the attorney claims that the Board members have no more rights than a member of the public when the Board is not convened, under these proposed policies, Board members would actually have fewer rights.
Sanchez, who has made optics the foundation of his administration has also had attorneys draft a provision that requires: “A Board member should direct media to communicate with the Superintendent to address matters specific to the administration of the District. A Board member should not post content on social media that may inaccurately portray facts regarding the District or substitutes facts with conjecture. A Board member should remain professional interacting with all media as Board Members encapsulate the highest level of leadership in the District.
This final policy would likely prevent a Board member from passing through the love tunnel as it is less than dignified and hardly professional.
The Board will also vote to join Pima County in its lawsuit against the State of Arizona. For years the County has ignored voter approved property tax rate cap and now that the State is broke, the bill has come due and the counties must bear the burden of their excessive spending.
The County complains about the District’s desegregation funding over 20 times in its complaint, yet the Office of the Pima County Superintendent of Public Instruction sent CFO Ricardo Hernandez to lobby with Sanchez to protect those monies this past Legislative session.