IPS administrator pay raises infuriate critics

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The IPS school board decision to give the superintendent and four other administrators pay raises has infuriated critics. The board voted Tuesday night to give Dr. Eugene White a three percent raise and promote four other administrators.

The pay raises come at a time when IPS is having to cut $25 million from its budget. While the superintendent's raise is estimated at just under $6,000, critics argue this isn't the time to add a few thousand to the district chief's $188,000 salary.

The IPS budget belt is so tight that in November, the superintendent cut the football programs at three high schools: Manuel, Washington, and John Marshall and that was before the governor ordered school districts to cut spending statewide -- making the IPS money woes worse.

Superintendent Dr. Eugene White warned the cuts needed to comply with the governor's mandate would be painful.

"Now this next cut will have student impact and it could result in larger class sizes. It could result in program reduction. It could result in closing a school or two," Dr. White warned in December.

That was then, this is now. A month later, at the January 26 school board meeting, board members voted to give the superintendent a three percent raise and he accepted.

"What crack pipe are these people smoking?" asked 1430 AM WXNT radio talk show host Abdul Hakim-Shabazz.

Hakim-Shabazz believes that at a time when teachers and students are feeling the pain of budget cuts, administrator pay raises should not be considered.

"People are taking salary cuts, furlough days and layoffs and what does IPS do? The school board goes ahead and votes for a pay raise. Even the basic kindergartner knows you don't do that in times like this," he said.

"He accepted a raise based on the agreement that is made in his contract that he meet certain benchmarks, and he has met those benchmarks," said IPS Spokesperson Mary Louise Bewley.

School district leaders point to what they believe are successes, like the medical magnet program at Crispus Attucks High School that attracts students from other districts. And they point out that even though IPS is the biggest district in the state, other Hoosier school chiefs make more money. That argument doesn't quiet critics.

"Actually some would say based on the results, based on how the school district has been performing, [Dr Eugene White] owe the taxpayers money," said Hakim-Shabazz.

IPS leaders hope to have a plan in place to begin slicing $25 million from the budget by July of this year.