I watched the May 21 Lewiston School Committee meeting in astonishment, as the Lewiston public schools superintendent danced around a question posed about adding additional administration positions through grant funds.

Committee member Tina Hutchinson discussed how in the recent budget the committee had removed an in-class teaching position at Lewiston High School, and that she could not support this new grant-funded position without the in-class position returning.

The superintendent replied that it was a “coordinator position” and implied that it was “not administration.”

This, folks, is exactly what is wrong with our schools and their budgets. We need a true definition of “administrative” costs in our schools.

This position will not have a daily student load. This position will not be grading assignments at 8 p.m. at night on their couch. This position will not be completing lunch duty. This position will not be attending IEP/504 meetings.

In two years, they’ll expect the local taxpayers to pay for it.

How is this position not administrative?

Benjamin Martin, Lewiston

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