Salary raises given last year to several central office administrators in the Coeur d'Alene School District are raising eyebrows now, as teacher contract negotiations for this year are at a stalemate and headed for mediation. The pay increases ranging from 4 percent to 23 percent have a collective annual cost to the district of $104,000. Employees who received the pay bumps -- none of them teachers -- began seeing the additional money in their paychecks beginning Sept. 25, 2013. "I realize that people are going to look at it sideways," said Superintendent Matt Handelman. "But there are decisions that must be made administratively to maintain and keep a team." Handelman said the $104,000 is a small fraction of the district's budget. The district's total amended general maintenance and operations budget for fiscal year 2013-14, which ended June 30, was $67.8 million/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: Do teachers have a right to be upset re: 4-23% pay increases for Coeur d'Alene School District administrators?