Hicks’ Temper Tantrum Leads To Pay Increase For TUSD Admin Staff
A temper tantrum by Tucson Unified School District Governing Board member Michael Hicks led to a vote on Tuesday to grant raises to nearly all employees . After a heated and lengthy discussion, Hicks demanded a vote on how to spend money intended for teacher raises.
Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is expected to receive an additional 15,095,903 this year as a result of legislation passed last month. Arizona legislators intended $11,295,903 to be used for teacher pay raises, and $3,800,000 to be used on capital projects.
Hicks forced a vote on one of the four spending options proposed by Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo. Hicks was joined by Board members Kristel Foster and Adelita Grijalva in voting in favor of an option that granted white collar workers a raise.
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Hicks Admits Resentment Guided Romero Contract Renewal
In an interview on the KVOI’s Wake Up Tucson radio show with Chris DeSimone, Tucson Unified School District Governing Board member Michael Hicks admitted that Pueblo High School Principal Augustine Romero should not have been granted a contract renewal this year. Hicks claimed that his unhappiness with fellow Board members Mark Stegeman and Rachel Sedgwick led him to cast the deciding vote in favor of Romero.
Related article: Hicks Casts Key Vote To Keep Pueblo’s Romero On At TUSD
Hicks acknowledged that it was the Board’s responsibility to vote on leadership positions, but between the recommendation by Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo to renew the contract and his spite for Sedgwick and Stegeman, he was compelled to vote for Romero. Hicks stated that although he believed that Romero violated Arizona law, his feelings toward his fellow Board members was compelling in his decision-making.
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