MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Cash is out and he's getting a major cash out. Memphis City Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash resigned in a special called board meeting Thursday night, but with his resignation comes a huge paycheck.
Kriner Cash is leaving Memphis City Schools with an extra $150,000 in his pocket. Members of the unified school board approved the six figure deal unanimously, but not everyone's happy about it.
Nikki Murphy, like many parents, has helped buy school supplies for her child's classroom. She's never had a problem with it until now.
"I just feel like its taking from the kids really, the kids might be in trouble," she said.
Consolidating to one superintendent is the latest step in the Memphis and Shelby County schools merger. But, Kriner Cash's six figure buyout isn't sitting right with many parents.
"Normally you would give something when they left the job, but I think $150,000 is a little much," said parent Susan Eubanks.
Cash's contract was due to expire in July. He will stay with the school system as an advisor until then. The MCS superintendent had a consolidation clause in his contract. If he's out, he gets one year's salary.
Over the past few months Cash and the board have worked out a deal that will give him six month's salary plus $17,000 in moving and legal expenses.
"With this merger a lot of good people are going to lose their jobs and they won't get a buyout," stated former MCS board member Kenneth Whalum, Jr. "Dr Cash will and I think he deserves it."
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell hasn't looked into the details of the dollars, but he doesn't have a problem with the extra pay day for Cash.
"I think severance packages are fairly common in situations like this; as far as the quality of that package I really just don't have a comment," he said.
Even though parents -- and tax payers -- are having a hard time understanding the cash out, Whalum says the consolidation with Shelby County meant Cash didn't have a fair chance at a job to begin with.
"The fact is there is a superintendent, the fact is there is no such thing as a Unified Shelby County School Board, it's the Shelby County School Board, period, and John Aitken is the superintendent," he said. "The $25,000 we're paying a search firm to do a national search is a waste of time and money."
The city and county schools are set to merge in August.
