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NYC Education Execs Criticized For High Salaries

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Dec 18, 2007 8:02 pm US/Eastern

NYC Education Execs Criticized For High Salaries

Parents Claim Public Schools Need More Funding

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Are the top executives at the New York City Department of Education making too much money off the backs of the taxpayer? That's the argument from some concerning a top-heavy bureaucracy at the Tweed Courthouse. CBS 2 has a report on the heated debate.

The head of a parent advocacy group was outraged upon hearing the news that 18 city department of education officials, including the schools chancellor himself, earn more than $190,000 a year.

At a groundbreaking ceremony for a new all-male Eagle Academy in the Bronx, New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein defended the salaries, saying his top people could earn three times their salaries in the private sector:

"We're running a $20-billion company. We've got some of the most talented people who are necessary to do it. We've cut so much fat at Tweed last year alone, we spent $230-million additional dollars back to our schools where it belongs."

But according to Leonie Halmson of Class Size Matters, the head of a group dedicated to reducing class sizes, those salaries are way out of line, considering she says, the school system is in such disarray, with a graduation rate at a meager 50-percent.

"The results don't show in any way that these people know what they are doing. They come out of all kinds of fields, mostly lawyers, and they don't deserve to be paid that much. They don't know anything about education," she said.

Some parents are taking a wait and see approach to see if the salaries are justified, while others are being less patient.

"Why are they getting that much? What are they putting into the school system? They say there's a deficit with book supplies so why are they getting that much money? There is no reason," said parent Stella Green of the Bronx.

The schools chancellor says he shares the same goals and concerns of the parents, and his priorities are to meet all and every standard set before him and the city's education system.

Kline earns $250,000 a year, the highest of any department of education employee. His associates point out however, he hasn't had a raise in 5 years.

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