At Monday's budget hearing with Mayor Megan Barry, she asked the new director, Shawn Joseph, to explain a new position that showed up in the district's proposed 2017-18 budget: a news editor gig that would consist solely of spreading positive news about the school district.

Joseph outlined that Metro Schools needed someone to allow schools and the district to "tell the good stories" as well as "dramatically increase social media presence."

Barry asked: What? The local media isn't doing a good job?



After saying he thought the media was doing a fine job, Barry replied: "That's the right answer."

But what exactly does a soul-sucking gig like this pay, you might ask? A whopping $75 thousand a year (including benefits), which, it's important to note, is way more than the average journalist in Nashville makes for telling actual stories about their community. (No doubt some of those recent layoffees at The Tennessean and other Gannett properties could stand to be some prime applicants for the job. Get it, guys! I believe in you.)

In addition to the news editor position, the district also proposed hiring a public information officer at another $75 thousand a year, which also includes its benefits package. A PIO typically handles media requests and public information requests from the community. This is in addition to its recent chief of communications hire and an external communications position.

The district overall is asking for $59 million more in this budget cycle than its last, bringing the proposed budget to more than $902 million. Part of that budget ask includes raises for teachers and staff, more IT personnel and more social workers.

"When you ask for an increase, [and] nearly 50 positions are Central Office focused, it's important to explain why it’s necessary in this year," Barry told Joseph.

When Barry pointed out that the ask for Central Office positions is half of the overall requests for new personnel, Joseph answered that the district's Central Office budget is around .6 percent of its overall budget, while most districts of its size operate with at around 1.2 percent.

Since he started his job this past year, Joseph says the district has struggled with capacity, which is reflected in the ask for more personnel. For example, he says, "over the years, we have dramatically increased the amount of technology we’ve used, but we have not increased the amount of technical support."

But the news editor job seems only like a way to increase the capacity to tell stories in an attempt to overwhelm any negative attention that comes the district's way. And, just as a little side note here, a similar state-run media effort by now Vice President Mike Pence didn't end up going over so well with the public.

This post has been updated to reflect that the overall budget ask for the position does include its benefits package.



