File this one under makes-no-goddamn-sense. Philadelphia School Superintendent Arlene Ackerman has apparently been awarded a $65,000 performance bonus by the School Reform Commission: Ackerman gets $65,000 performance bonus.
The $65,000 bonus is on top of Ackerman's $325,000 salary. Including perks such as the bonus, life insurance, and pension, Ackerman is paid almost $500,000 annually. Her contract stipulates that she'd receive the bonus for reaching "benchmarks." After an "extensive evaluation," a panel apparently believed that she deserved the bonus. Wait, did I just read that right?
I have to ask: for what? For her awesome job of being ignorant and negligent about the violence happening in her school district -- both before and after the December 3 attacks? For her epic mishandling and complete failure to address the antagonism towards Asian students in her district? If incompetence is what the Comission is rewarding, I guess that's a job well done.
If Ackerman stays through next June, she'lll earn an extra $100,000. Her contract expires in 2013. Meanwhile, Asian students continue to get their heads kicked in, while administrators look the other way. Enjoy the cash, Arlene. More here: Ackerman gets $65K bonus for...secret reasons.
