The East board has missed its first chance to correct a mistake of the old regime, as those raises should never have been so high.

If all four East side Board members have not taken the money, they would have increased their integrity as a Board. This does bring into question what the true motivations of recipients are.

Hey Kim the charity you should be donating to is the Jordan School District for the kids. Your taking away from them. Do you people not get it?

City councilmen and legislators make as much or more. School Boards have been kept artificially low for way too long. What the board did was right, and I'm glad they did it. Board members of these big districts put in at least as much time as legislators and city councilmen. Ordinary people need to be able to serve, and if the pay is too low, they can't.

Look at the total amount of compensation for the responsibility, not the percentage increase. It was artificially low to begin with, now it is still low, but closer to the real value of the service they provide. A real bargain for the level of responsibility the board carries.

What the article doesn't mention is that the board members also receive premium insurance (valued at more than $17,000/year). School employees pay upwards of $300 to $400 a month in premiums and the board members get it free. I'd say that's quite a nice perk too. In light of the mess that is looming, I would have liked to see the board not even deal with this issue until the district is divided. I'd rather they worry about what my kids will end up with rather than what they should be getting.

Wow. Kim Horiuchi wants do donate the extra money to charity. I suppose she will take the resulting tax deduction, too. A lot of people do community service without pay and put in a lot of hours. The Jordan boards are the only ones who jumped at the opportunity to get paid more per hour that their teachers, and then want to take the COLA, too. Wow. I am so unimpressed.

Dear JSD board members
If you did not want to do the job because of the kids you should not be there. I realize you put in a lot of time, but the job should not be about the money. You are already receiving more than the teachers in insurance perks. I am very disappointed in all of you.

I really have no idea about school boards, how much they do, and what a fair compensation is...

I'm just commenting on nice perk's comment above.

How dare you suggest that people in the education community should just suck it up because it's not "about the money".

It is!! We love our jobs in education. We do a lot of good, but if there is not compensation, we get tired of the constant beatdown.

Yours is just more of the mentality of welfare. Someone, somewhere should be giving me something for free.

Education isn't free. And those in education don't work for good feelings.

I am a teacher it was directed towards the school board. They are getting more in insurance than I am. They ran for the office and they should be there for the kids first. there are school boards that receive no pay.

Then maybe you have a serious complaint in that district. Perks should be same or less. However, maybe they're trying to make up for that huge discrepancy in pay.... ?

Maybe?

I know I wouldn't work for free.

Does anyone find it a huge conflict of interest that the Board president drafted the contract for the Superintendent? Doesn't the school board have attorneys of its own? Why is the president doing pro bono work? It seems totally inappropriate. Is he going to represent the new school district as well? But then again, this board is full of conflicts of interests and personal agendas.

My husband has served here in Southeastern Idaho on our school board for 15 years with NO COMPENSATION other than an shirt or book every now and then, but nothing more. He holds down a full time job, and serves in his church as well. We could surely use the added $12,000 to $17,000 a year.

Chuck,

Since when has "service" been connected to pay? 'Pay' remained low because it wasn't considered a job at one point, and many were willing to serve without compensation. The money came in as a way to offset costs such as travel to be able to serve. Times have changed, and people have lost sight of the purpose of these school boards. (hint--it has to do with the kids)

IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS AS SMALL AS THAT ONE MENTIONED IN IDAHO, THEY WOULDN'T NEED THAT KIND OF COMPENSATION!! The districts ought to be community sized. Then a normal person could SERVE as a board member without much compensation. The current size of our huge districts makes that impossible. Smaller, community-sized districts would be service oriented, with the money getting to the classroom instead of allowing people to build their own kingdoms at a huge district office where they can hide!

Your right Idaho most school board members are there to serve no receive any compensation. They have a part time job with full insurance benefits that the Jordan teachers do not get. They have to pay for some of their insurance. Where else can you find a part time job and get full health coverage which most people beg for. These guys are self serving and right now the shape of both districts in a mess. Wake up board members. I really no longer trust your judgements anymore and I am disappointed in you greedy people.

This School District split is going to go down as one of the worst disasters in this states political history. The Jordan District split was un-democratic in the sense that the West Side did not get a chance to vote. The mayors and Legislators involved in this mess hand picked candidates for the School Board. It got so bad that Nancy Workman endorsed Greg Curtis's wife on Sandy Chamber of Commerce Letterhead. Most of the School Board Members are in the pockets of the mayors and legislators. They are way over paid and will not represent the people of the new School District. This is what happens when only 10 percent of the people vote and you do not hold a primary election. Remember this at election time. Lets send all the Legislators, Mayors and Bord Members packing!!!

Chuck,

Even in a small district, the head officials like Superintendents are too busy to talk to parents. The first school I worked in had 6 Elementary, 1 JH and 1 HS. Parents still tried to talk to the Super when they had problems at a school instead of talking to the teacher but were redirected back to the school. I feel VERY sorry for the new Super if he has to deal with parents on a daily basis. He won't get his job done if that happens.

Frankly I find your notion that parents should be entitled to be able to talk to the chief the most ludicrous thing expected out of the split. You do realize that one of the purposes of the Principal at the local school is for what you want. Personally, when my trash isn't picked up, I don't go to President Bush with the complaint. Your idea is just as foolish.

As a member of a small district school board who still receives $3,000 and no health insurance, I have my own insurance from my full-time job, I can tell you that the $3,000 does not compensate me for my travel, time, visiting schools, visiting with teachers and parents, preparation for and the meetings, etc. BUT, when I first campaigned for the board I had no idea there was any compensation, so it has just been a nice little bonus.