So, taking money that is intended to replace money meant for teacher pay, then using it for something else, is questionable at best.

“That money should be going to teachers,” Hicks said. “It was sold as money for teachers. That was my beef with it.”

I asked Foster about her pre-election statements and how they squared with the post-election vote she cast. Foster, by the way, is up for re-election, along with fellow board member Cam Juarez. If either of them should lose, the board’s voting majority would change and the superintendent might well be replaced.

“We’re absolutely within the ballpark of what other districts are doing, if not better,” Foster said.

Here, she’s referring to the overall impact of recent pay raises. Sanchez made a similar argument, but went further, arguing that other school districts made one-time payments to teachers, while TUSD is actually increasing its base salary levels.

That argument, about the other school districts, doesn’t hold up under close scrutiny. My colleague, Huicochea, compiled all the local districts’ plans for their money. Many did make one-time payments to employees, but they also combined those with permanent pay increases.