Civitas to teachers: Look at them NCAE salaries

With the teachers scheduled to hold a major rally this afternoon in Raleigh to oppose the House Republican budget, one of their GOP allies have given them a love tap.

Civitas Institute, a conservative advocacy group, put out a release this morning listing the salaries of the top employees of the N.C. Association of Educators, the teachers group which is organizing the rally.

Civitas said that an analysis of the NCAE's tax returns shows that from 2006 through 2009, its revenues increased from $10.1 million to $11 million and its staff increased from 86 to 135.

"The trend lines certainly indicate considerable growth in compensation benefits for NCAE executives, and I wonder if NCAE members are comfortable with those trends," said Civitas Institute policy analyst Bob Luebke, clearly trying to stir up trouble.

It reported that its executive director Scott Anderson made $135,000, its president Sheri Strickland made $143,607, its associate executive director Kelvin Spragley made $134,547, its communications manager Jacqueline Vaughan makde $127,860, its vice president Rodney Ellis made $111,696, its its legal services manager Claudia Williams made $112,430, and its teach and learn manager Angela Farthing made $109,879.

The NCAE plans a major rally this afternoon outside the Legislative Building that will include Gov. Bev Perdue and some Democratic lawmakers.

We expect that the NCAE will soon begin looking into the Civitas staff salaries.