The Selma City School Board has hired a superintendent and a majority has agreed what to pay him, but Don Jefferson has no job expectations listed in a contract, so far.

Instead of hammering out a contract Monday night during its special called meeting, school board president Henry Hicks decided enough was enough after voting with the majority to give Jefferson the same salary as former superintendent of education Austin Obasohan and called the meeting to a close.

In other words, the school board will deal with the contract issue later.

That’s ridiculous.

Jefferson is a CEO of a school system responsible for the education of thousands of children. The school system is one of the largest employers in Selma and Dallas County.

Yet, as of end of business Wednesday, the superintendent has no contract establishing guidelines and targets under which he’ll work, although a couple of board members — Frank Chestnut Jr. and Holland Powell — wanted to strap him with a performance-based contract tied to salary increases.

“Oh, no. Unfair,” cried Udo Ufomadu, Brenda Ubomanu and Hicks. All the other superintendents had six months before they were faced with goals, Jefferson should have the same.

These are trying times for school systems all over the state. Alabama is at the bottom of almost every list regarding secondary education. Many children are being left behind, and Selma’s school system is a prime example of acceptance, even celebrating, mediocrity. Witness the parties thrown by schools when their students’ test scores result in the basic, minimum Annual Yearly Progress. Minimum. Just above failing. A “D,” if you’re handing out letter scores.

Additionally, systems all over the state face a larger percentage of proration when the governor declares it and Gov. Riley has said proration is coming. Money will be short for school supplies, maintenance and other items. Some school systems in the state will have to borrow money to pay their teachers. Depending on which board member has the correct figures, Selma might find itself in that category by the second semester.

These tenuous issues — student achievement and fiscal responsibility — and the school board hires a superintendent without a contract — without any goals regarding the education of the children under its watch or the handling of millions of dollars to run the system.

The board should call a special meeting immediately, negotiate a performance-based contract with rewards and penalties and give it to Jefferson — all in an open session with no regard to the audience’s applause or jeers.

Members of the school board say they want the best for the children of this system. Now it is time for us to see action in that direction, beginning at the top.