The Seattle School Board has one employee, the Superintendent. Currently that is Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson. Is she worth $264,000 in base salary plus $28,400 of other compensation plus bonuses? Apparently so since that is the pay package the School Board agreed to give her. As part of her contract she may also earn an annual bonus up to $26,000 if she meets or exceeds specific goals set by the School Board. This year the Board evaluation of her performance resulted in a bonus of $5,280. She earned it. She should keep it.

The Seattle Times thinks otherwise. By their reckoning, she should forgo her bonus as a token recognition of the school system's budget shortfall. She should set the example in these hard economic times for all highly paid public officials. Actually the Times went beyond that praising Director Haricum Martin-Morris for not accepting the balance of the $50 per meeting stipend allowed for Seattle School Board members. Does the Times expect this of all the Board members regardless of what it costs them to serve? Mr. Martin-Morris works for a company that gives him paid time off to serve on the Board. Not every member is so fortunate.

Should Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson or Director Martin-Morris choose to voluntarily contribute to the Seattle Schools, fine, that is their choice. But the Times is out of line pressuring them to give up what is rightfully and contractually theirs. Charity is personal, public or private by the wishes of the donor, but it should not be coerced.

God loves a cheerful giver.

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