Cleaning Up in the Name of D.C.'s Schools

"I just wanted to make sure you heard the news that is not making the news that two people were shot just a few blocks from J.C. Nalle [elementary school] last night. The first happened late in the afternoon Wednesday while children were playing across the street in Benning Terrace, and the man collapsed and died on the steps of Jones Memorial Church. The children at our school told me about seeing the bullet holes in his chest and head and seeing the helicopter take the man away."

-- a teacher at J.C. Nalle

Thursday, March 29

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, an education empire is being built even before the conquest is over.

When Mayor Adrian Fenty takes over the D.C. public schools, his deputy mayor for education, Victor Reinoso, will be at the top of the public education food chain. Although it will be a while before the switch in governance becomes official (since the change requires approval by the D.C. Council, which votes next week, and by Congress), Reinoso has already gathered trusted followers to help him once the takeover deed is done.

In a demonstration of his capacity to think and live large, Reinoso has assembled a staff of 11 at a cost to D.C. taxpayers of $1,137,291.

First there's Reinoso's own $175,000 salary, which exceeds that of D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and the chief judge of the D.C. Superior Court. Then there's the pay of his executive assistant, Tara Bridgett, who makes $69,741 a year.

Employees can be an unwieldy bunch. So Reinoso has a chief of staff to ride herd on the underlings. That post belongs to Eric Lerum. His annual salary: $110,000.

So much to do; such little time. Thus Reinoso has five special assistants.