In a front-page Courier News article today, Hillsboro Schools Superintendent Edward Forsthoffer III indicated that he would forsake his salary increase for the 2009-2010 school year. Finally! Someone at the top of the administrative chain has decided to do what has been evident to just about every responsible New Jersey taxpaying citizen: Hold the line on salary.
With respect to the Bridgewater-Raritan School District, I’ve had it in mind to write that the administration, beginning with Superintendent of Schools, Dr. J. Michael Schilder and School Business Administrator/Board Secretary, Peter Starrs, should be among the first to give up their pay raises. Their example should be followed by all other leading educators in the Bridgewater-Raritan School District.
I never thought that a superintendent from another nearby school district would be the first to do it. The example has been set, but it’s only a beginning.
In coming weeks, you will soon hear more about the multi-million dollar increase for the Bridgewater-Raritan School District budget. Several individual Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education members have publicly stated on the record that they would lobby for its passage and would work with individuals and special interest groups towards that end.
Unless New Jersey’s state law regulating such activity has been altered, it’s illegal for an administrator or for a school board member to lobby for the passage of a school budget or to work with individuals and groups, either publicly or behind the scenes, for that purpose.
Dr. Schilder, who gave a presentation of the Bridgewater-Raritan School budget about a month ago in front of a large audience, knows that. In his presentation, he was meticulously careful not to outwardly solicit support for the budget, only that he was hoping for a good voter turnout.
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