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Julie Pophal: School district inept in athletic director moves

Julie Pophal  —  7/02/2008 5:24 am

Dear Editor:

This letter is to Madison Metropolitan School District taxpayers.

We are suffering the consequences of the district's inept decision-making when it comes to last year's cutting of four athletic directors.

The waste of taxpayer money through the yearlong arbitration between MMSD and the union to reinstate the four directors far outweighs what was to be saved by the district's cuts. The directors will get back pay for 2007-08 of about $8,000 each. The district is paying two administrative athletic directors for two years at about $100,000 each per year. This means the district will be paying for six directors for the 2008-09 school year at a cost of approximately $232,000. This does not count the district's legal costs in defending its losing position or the regular pay that three of the athletic directors get for their full-time "teaching" contract. Do the math -- how many hockey surcharge payments would this $232,000-plus cover?

A recent article stated that Art Rainwater suggested the two administrative athletic directors will be housed in the downtown office, supervising and evaluating the four athletic directors. You have got to be kidding!! So now it takes six people to do the job of two people!

Taxpayers, are you getting the picture? This centralized district mentality wastes time and money and constricts the autonomy of local athletic offices.

Full-time athletic directors at each high school can better respond to parents, coaches, teachers, and most importantly to students. I can't count the number of times students came into the athletic office to talk to the director and the director was unavailable due to being at Memorial High School that day. Students deserve better service!

I hope this issue is resolved prior to the start of the next school year.

Julie Pophal

West High School athletic secretary

Madison

Julie Pophal  —  7/02/2008 5:24 am