Former OKC superintendent was gone 125.5 days during 21-month tenure

Tim Willert reports today for The Oklahoman:

A reputation followed former Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Rob Neu during his tenure overseeing the district. 

Never here. 

“From the beginning of his employment people were saying he was only here three or four days a week,” said Ed Allen, president of the union that bargains with the district on behalf of 2,800 teachers. ... 

During his 21 months heading the state's largest school district, Neu was out of the office 125.5 days, or three out of every 10 work days, according to records released this week by the district. 

The time off included 67 vacation days, 15 sick days, two days of bereavement leave and 41.5 days of “professional leave.” 

Under his contract, Neu annually accrued 35 vacation days, 12 sick days and three days of leave for “personal business.” 

His contract also allowed Neu to take annual leave for consulting work, speaking engagements, writing, lecturing and other professional activities, but was silent on how much such leave Neu could take. 

His contract also required Neu to file an annual report to the board listing any outside employment. 

Neu never filed such a report and it's unclear whether or not Neu engaged in any business outside of the district that would have required such a report to be filed.
School board members voted April 25 to cut ties with Neu, approving a separation agreement with the embattled superintendent. Neu is on administrative leave through June 30. ... 

Allen, who quarreled with Neu over discipline issues, placed some of the blame on the school board for hiring the former Federal Way, Wash., superintendent and approving a contract that paid him an annual salary of $240,000 plus about $65,000 in benefits, including vacation days, fully paid family health insurance and a $10,000 annual car allowance. 

“Why would you allow someone to be gone nearly 30 percent of the time?” Allen asked. “That makes no sense, but our board thought that was appropriate. 

“It was poor judgment in hiring him and they showed a total lack of oversight of his activities.”