Hicks Underpaid?

Hardly.

Even though the Journal Times is trying to claim one of two things and Racine Unified Superintendent Tom Hicks:

• Hicks is underpaid and as such is a bargain or;
• Racine taxpayers are cheapskates who aren’t willing to pony up enough money for a quality superintendent

Facts are stubborn things: RUSD is one of the — if not the — worst run school district in the state. Its graduation rate is the second worst (only to MPS), the test scores in reading and math are flat or declining.

And the district spends over $10,000 per student for this absurdity.

One thing to ask when an article like this appears: Why now? What’s the reason for this to appear? What’s the agenda being served?

Also, I have a challenge for the district:

I am willing to bet my house that I can do Tom Hicks’s job better than he can for no more than half the money (don’t forget — the $144,000 salary figure doesn’t include the Rolls Royce benefits package worth almost $45,000).

Hey RUSD: Wanna take me up on that?

Cross-posted at Texas Hold 'Em Blogger.