Sit on it
Franklyn Bass, superintendent of schools in Pelham and Windham, N.H., got a new office chair this fall, and that has plenty of people perturbed, The Boston Globe says. It seems the price tag for the chair was $995, a little too steep for the more frugal folks among his constituents. The chair is black leather, with mahogany trim and a swivel. Those defending the purchase say it’s an appropriate piece of furniture for a top executive. But others have labeled the chair as extravagant. One upset board member wonders if a cheaper chair would have been more practical because Bass often has business away from his office. “He’s a very busy person and a lot of time, he’s not even in his office to sit in the chair,” says board member Barbara Coish.
Is $995 too much for a superintendent’s office chair? Should administrators be more sensitive about such potentially controversial expenditures? Leave a comment.
October 30th, 2007 @ 9:52 am
An administrator from Texas writes:
“Administrators must always be mindful of community perception regarding expenditures. A $1,000 chair crosses the line unless there’s some medical condition that warrants the chair. We already shoot ourselves in the foot too many times. Don’t let a chair sway the public’s perception of your worth to the district.”
October 30th, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
An administrator from Ohio writes:
“I am writing this at an expensive solid oak rolltop computer desk immediately adjacent to another solid oak office desk and across the hall from a conference table and six chairs to match, purchased by one of my predecessors. Several thousand dollars were spent. Having a functional office with nice furniture does not have to be expensive. I am sitting on a less-than-$100 office chair I purchased at an office supply chain store and then delivered it to the office myself. Make a good impression, but not a wrong impression. It’s not our money.”