Wheels of the Week
.JPG)
CBS fall TV premiere party
Couple makes backyard retreat
Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > May > 16 > Entry
James Williams sighting
Remember our old friend James Williams? The former Dayton superintendent was forced out in 1999 after a tumultuous eight years when the state auditor uncovered a multi-million dollar deficit. Williams is also remembered for tough talk with the teacher’s union here soon after ascending to the district’s top job, which culminated in a 16-day strike in 1993.
Well, Williams is now superintendent in Buffalo and guess what? He’s stirring up a some angst by talking tough with the union there. (I spotted this through the Chalkboard blog, written by author and former education reporter Joe Williams — no relation.)
Back in 1993, Williams was proposing what were then radical ideas — merit pay for teachers based on the test gain of their students, hiring based on a school committee’s recommendation instead of seniority and rewarding or penalizing teachers based on the total performance of the schools where they teach.
Williams also took on the teachers over health care, claiming in 1993 that Dayton teachers were among the very few anywhere who still had 100 percent health care coverage.
Interestingly, Buffalo apparently held out more than a decade longer than Dayton. Their teachers STILL have 100 percent health care coverage — so it’s not surprising that Williams says this must change. He’s also asking for other union givebacks, saying without concessions any new money the district receives from the city will not reach the kids in the classroom.
It will be interesting to see if this goes better for Williams in Buffalo. The 1993 strike here led to replacement teachers, classroom chaos and ultimately a school board cave-in that ended up giving the teachers most of what they wanted (they did begin paying 5 percent of their health care costs).
In the end, Williams took a beating from the union.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Scott Elliott
May 17, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this
In response to Edwonk: Williams and Treasurer Kennon Goff blamed each other for the deficit, but both were forced from their jobs, so at least in the eyes of the school board they shared blame for the deficit. Also, it is techinically true that in Ohio the treasurer reports to the school board. But in many cases, the superintendent, in effect, manages the treasurer. In the case of Williams and Goff, I don’t think you could find anyone that knew them who would say their relationship was one of equals. Williams, plain and simple, ran the show here in Dayton. In repsonse to another comment, Williams and Goff knew for several months that there was a deficit but never made it public. Meanwhile, Williams was agressively seeking jobs elsewhere.By Mary
May 17, 2006 9:28 AM | Link to this
I also agree with Williams that administrators probably should not be receiving overtime pay. I am amazed at what is in the contracts for school districts. Counselors or administrators including principals making over $70K in salaries for a portion of the year and then expecting extended pay and supplemental pay of around $300 a day for a few weeks work into the summer. It seems that they want to have the salaries as good or much better than other professions, but much better deals with summers and time off, and heavy compensation if they do not get the full three months off. No other profession receives these good deals except for education careers. What a racket feeding at the government trough.By Mary
May 17, 2006 9:14 AM | Link to this
Actually, I do not follow how, with all the highly paid people monitoring the flow of millions of dollars, millions of dollars are miscounted and misdirected. How do you develop a $16 million deficit and not know? My district actually misaccounted for several million a few years ago. It is like the Enron and other cases, people plead great talent in commanding their salaries, but ignorance (I think Lay and Skilling of Enron and the HealthSouth guy pled ignorance) when it comes to multi-million dollar mistakes. Makes me nervous for my genius son who just got an accounting degree.By EdWonk
May 17, 2006 7:31 AM | Link to this
Wasn’t the deficit the CFO’s responsibility—a CFO who reported directly to the Board and not to Williams? So how does that make the 16M$ shortfall his fault?By Scott Elliott
May 16, 2006 10:12 PM | Link to this
Mary — Yes, the author Joe Williams is now blogging for a pro-charter school group (follow the link in this post to connect through to it.) You are correct that Williams’ parting gift was about $250,000 cash, if my memory serves. Also, I don’t follow how any union could “set up” a $16 million deficit to get the superintendent fired.By Mary
May 16, 2006 7:24 PM | Link to this
Makes one wonder if the financial problems and William’s exit was set up by the union. But I also remember Williams got a very generous Golden parachute when he left (quarter million $?). What is good for the goose should be good for the gander. However, I agree with Williams statement about health insurance and new money that never gets to the classroom. If he takes that issue on, maybe he might actually earn a little bit of a fat paycheck. I believe the Joe Williams you mention might be the same one who wrote “Cheating our kids - how politics and greed ruin education”.