And where were you, Mr. Price?

The Dallas Independent School District is in big trouble. Somehow, there was an unexpected $64 million shortfall in the 2007-2008 budget, and reserve funds counted on for this year's budget must be used. Many district employees will lose their jobs. District officials say the shortfall is a result mainly of payroll miscalculations made when they hired 750 new teachers.

I'm no genius (well, actually, I am, but that's beside the point), but $64 million divided by 750 teachers averages $85,333 per teacher. Of course, you have to figure that as the entire package, not just the salary. Benefits generally add about one-third of the salary to the total figure, but even at that, you're figuring an average teacher pay of $64,160. I would think that would be the high end salary for a public school teacher. Logic dictates that many of those newly hired teachers are starting teachers and not making nearly that much. My point is that $64 million should have been more than adequate to fund all 750 teachers, so how do you underestimate $64 million by $64 million?

DISD School Board Member Ron Price said, "In my 11 years of service on the board, I've never seen anything like this. Our children and our teachers should not have to suffer for the mismanagement and the incompetence of our administration."

Wait a minute, Mr. Price! You've been on the Board 11 years, and you're not familiar enough with the budget to notice that you're spending $64 million more than you're taking in? Sounds like the mismanagement and incompetence isn't limited to the administration!

"Schools brace for job cuts." The Dallas Morning News; September 17, 2008; p. 1A.