| Arrested in Florida |
| YSLETA ISD (TX) WASHOE SCHLS (RENO, NV) NEW: Ysleta ISD audit finds former supe Hector Montenegro violated state law (spending & honorariums) By Peyton Wolcott Thur., Apr. 30, 2009 / 4:06 pm |
Had departing Washoe
supe Paul Dugan trained a
strong in-house replace-
ment, taxpayers would not be
out the $29,000 they've just
paid head hunter John Huge.
Second, public scrutiny
(Google) by Washoe citizens,
taxpayers and the press has
raised issues about some
finalists the citizenry
considered huge which Huge
apparently didn't.
supe Paul Dugan trained a
strong in-house replace-
ment, taxpayers would not be
out the $29,000 they've just
paid head hunter John Huge.
Second, public scrutiny
(Google) by Washoe citizens,
taxpayers and the press has
raised issues about some
finalists the citizenry
considered huge which Huge
apparently didn't.
Awkward timing for Hector
Montenegro -- as one of two
remaining Washoe finalists --
is yesterday's release of
Ysleta ISD's internal audit
investigating Hector, their
former supe. Among the
findings:
Montenegro -- as one of two
remaining Washoe finalists --
is yesterday's release of
Ysleta ISD's internal audit
investigating Hector, their
former supe. Among the
findings:
| The audit, which will be used in an ongoing investigation by the Texas Education Agency, pointed to two direct violations of either state law or of Montenegro's contract. The audit found that Montenegro accepted $19,154 in honorariiums from companies that included district vendors after the law was changed in May 2007 making such honorariums illegal. In addition, the audit found he charged the district $2,688 for meals and other expenses that should have been covered by his monthly discretionary expense allow- ance for meals and entertain- ment. [Hector earned $230K] annually, received a discretion- ary expense allowance of $700 a month, a $500-a-month cell-phone stipend and an allowance of $1,200 monthly for in-district travel. He also lived in a district home and did not pay rent, insurance, taxes, utilities, landscaping maintenance or repairs. |
- advancing from within
- making public the names of
all school district finalists
-- for pressing Antioch
USD supe Deborah
Sims & att'y Marleen
Sacks for public
records re AUSD
elementary teacher
arrest (child porn).
USD supe Deborah
Sims & att'y Marleen
Sacks for public
records re AUSD
elementary teacher
arrest (child porn).
It's hard when you're sitting on
a podium as an elected school
board member to ask questions
as you go through the agenda
packet, especially when it
appears you're going against
your fellows and asking the
tough questions they won't.
In fact, at the "team" types
of trainings many U.S. board
members receive they are
taught to not ask questions and
instead to leave administrative
decisions including those
involving the spending of
millions of dollars to their
employee the superintendent.
Many times trustees are trained
to ask questions in private
beforehand with an emphasis
on avoiding anything
resembling "Gotchas."
Unfortunately this trend
tends to flatten board meetings
into rubber stamp sessions
where whatever the
superintendent requests gets
approved.
I've actually sat through
board meetings where vendors
and paid consultants gave
trustees scripts to read in
order to get their agenda items
passed; the painful ones were
where we watched school
board members trip over the
words, unable to pronounce
them properly.
a podium as an elected school
board member to ask questions
as you go through the agenda
packet, especially when it
appears you're going against
your fellows and asking the
tough questions they won't.
In fact, at the "team" types
of trainings many U.S. board
members receive they are
taught to not ask questions and
instead to leave administrative
decisions including those
involving the spending of
millions of dollars to their
employee the superintendent.
Many times trustees are trained
to ask questions in private
beforehand with an emphasis
on avoiding anything
resembling "Gotchas."
Unfortunately this trend
tends to flatten board meetings
into rubber stamp sessions
where whatever the
superintendent requests gets
approved.
I've actually sat through
board meetings where vendors
and paid consultants gave
trustees scripts to read in
order to get their agenda items
passed; the painful ones were
where we watched school
board members trip over the
words, unable to pronounce
them properly.
Why bring this up now?
Remember this phrase I've
been using lately, "our vendor-
driven public schools"?
Consider this: When the RIFs
were announced last year
during Dallas ISD's declared
financial exigency, who lost
their jobs? Not vendors, not
consultants, although
substantial numbers of both
groups could have been
dismissed easily and legally.
No, the folks who lost their jobs
at DISD were teachers. Why
was Kim as chief HR exec
looking out for vendors and
consultants over teachers?
Doesn't this show us where
the real power and money
connect in Dallas? Does Lucy
got some 'splainin' to do? Is
anyone in Dallas asking?
Remember this phrase I've
been using lately, "our vendor-
driven public schools"?
Consider this: When the RIFs
were announced last year
during Dallas ISD's declared
financial exigency, who lost
their jobs? Not vendors, not
consultants, although
substantial numbers of both
groups could have been
dismissed easily and legally.
No, the folks who lost their jobs
at DISD were teachers. Why
was Kim as chief HR exec
looking out for vendors and
consultants over teachers?
Doesn't this show us where
the real power and money
connect in Dallas? Does Lucy
got some 'splainin' to do? Is
anyone in Dallas asking?
Although I'm proud of superintendent Syl Perez and his board for having put Midland
ISD's check register online last year, some issues have recently arisen regarding
trainings and employment guidelines for teachers in the area of appropriate
teacher/student relations. Also, I've just uncovered some earmarked pork by Mike. Why
he's asking federal taxpayers to foot the bill ($95,000 this year, quadruple that amount in
FY 2010) for a fuzzy math program at MISD, a school district with $192.5 million in actual
expenditures during the most recently reported period (the 2007-08 school year) and
$9,181 per student is, well, "a puzzlement." Unlike a fictitious King of Siam in a Broadway
musical, as a sentient U.S. taxpayer while I can hope for the best -- from the bottom of my
heart -- it is my job as a citizen to seek accountability in the form of responsible answers
and explanations. Please check back; will keep you updated as this progresses.
ISD's check register online last year, some issues have recently arisen regarding
trainings and employment guidelines for teachers in the area of appropriate
teacher/student relations. Also, I've just uncovered some earmarked pork by Mike. Why
he's asking federal taxpayers to foot the bill ($95,000 this year, quadruple that amount in
FY 2010) for a fuzzy math program at MISD, a school district with $192.5 million in actual
expenditures during the most recently reported period (the 2007-08 school year) and
$9,181 per student is, well, "a puzzlement." Unlike a fictitious King of Siam in a Broadway
musical, as a sentient U.S. taxpayer while I can hope for the best -- from the bottom of my
heart -- it is my job as a citizen to seek accountability in the form of responsible answers
and explanations. Please check back; will keep you updated as this progresses.
Which is why I'm asking questions
this week at Midland ISD here in Texas.
Located in the oil-rich Permian Basin, MISD is also the home school district of my own
U.S. Congressman, Mike Conaway.
this week at Midland ISD here in Texas.
Located in the oil-rich Permian Basin, MISD is also the home school district of my own
U.S. Congressman, Mike Conaway.
| 2004-01-07 (Wednesday) 2004-01-08 589.36 WALMART SUPERCENT SE2 COCKRELL HILL TX USA GROCERY STORES,AND SUPERMARKETS 2004-01-07 (Wednesday) 2004-01-09 62.97 RADIO SHACK 00181834 DALLAS TX USA ELECTRONICS STORES 2004-01-09 (Friday) 2004-01-12 37.52 LAKESHORE LEARNING 18 DALLAS TX USA BUSINESS SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED 2004-01-09 (Friday) 2004-01-12 717.53 OFFICE DEPOT #1079 TEL9726021055 TX USA COMBINATION CATALOG AND RETAIL MERCHANT 2004-01-09 (Friday) 2004-01-12 872.96 LAKESHORE LEARNING 18 DALLAS TX USA BUSINESS SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED 2004-01-13 (Tuesday) 2004-01-14 91.53 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA STATIONERY, OFFICE SUPPLIES, PRINTING AND WRITING 2004-01-13 (Tuesday) 2004-01-14 543.40 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA STATIONERY, OFFICE SUPPLIES, PRINTING AND WRITING 2004-01-15 (Thursday) 2004-01-16 -6.98 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA STATIONERY,OFFICE AND SCHOOL SUPPLY STORES 2004-01-20 (Tuesday) 2004-01-21 1,015.11 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA STATIONERY, OFFICE SUPPLIES, PRINTING AND WRITING 2004-01-21 (Wed.) 2004-01-22 817.67 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA STATIONERY, OFFICE SUPPLIES, PRINTING AND WRITING 2004-01-21 (Wed.) 2004-01-22 3,247.64 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA STATIONERY, OFFICE SUPPLIES, PRINTING AND WRITING 2004-01-23 (Friday) 2004-01-26 107.80 OFFICE DEPOT #1079 TEL9726021055 TX USA COMBINATION CATALOG AND RETAIL MERCHANT 2004-01-28 (Wednesday) 2004-01-30 839.49 OFFICE DEPOT #1079 TEL9726021055 TX USA COMBINATION CATALOG AND RETAIL MERCHANT 2004-02-02 (Monday) 2004-02-03 16.93 WALMART SUPERCENT SSE2 DALLAS TX USA GROCERY STORES,AND SUPERMARKETS 2004-02-04 (Wed) 2004-02-05 408.34 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-02-05 (Thurs) 2004-02-06 75.05 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-02-10 (Tuesday) 2004-02-12 2,796.81 LAKESHORE LEARNING 18 DALLAS TX USA BUSINESS SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED 2004-02-12 (Thur) 2004-02-13 2,384.65 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-02-12 (Thursday) 2004-02-16 77.84 EDUCATION 4 KIDS CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-02-13 (Friday) 2004-02-16 1,017.12 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE 2004-02-17 (Tuesday) 2004-02-19 154.62 KINKO'S #0191 DALLAS TX USA QUICK-COPY AND REPRODUCTION SERVICES 2004-02-18 (Wednesday) 2004-02-20 14.54 OFFICE DEPOT #103 DALLAS TX USA STATIONERY,OFFICE AND SCHOOL SUPPLY STORES 2004-02-20 (Friday) 2004-02-23 32.41 TARGET 00008755 DALLAS TX USA DISCOUNT STORES 2004-02-20 (Friday) 2004-02-23 1,394.60 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE 2004-02-20 (Friday) 2004-02-23 1,479.69 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 22.28 OFFICE DEPOT #103 DALLAS TX USA STATIONERY,OFFICE AND SCHOOL SUPPLY STORES 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 67.41 WAL MART FARMERS BRANC TX USA DISCOUNT STORES 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 341.20 LAKESHORE LEARNING 18 DALLAS TX USA BUSINESS SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 550.00 WAL MART FARMERS BRANC TX USA DISCOUNT STORES 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 1,000.00 TARGET 00000133 DALLAS TX USA DISCOUNT STORES 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 2,450.00 WAL MART FARMERS BRANC TX USA DISCOUNT STORES 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 6,000.00 LAKESHORE LEARNING 18 DALLAS TX USA BUSINESS SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED 2004-03-12 (Friday) 2004-03-15 $11,000.00 WAL MART FARMERS BRANC TX USA DISCOUNT STORES 2004-03-23 (Tuesday) 2004-03-24 3.28 WALMART SUPERCENT SE2 COCKRELL HILL TX USA GROCERY STORES,AND SUPERMARKETS 2004-03-24 (Wednesday) 2004-03-25 34.48 CEC*CHILDCRAFT 800-631-5652 PA USA DIRCT MARKETING/DIRCT MARKETERS--NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-03-24 (Wed) 2004-03-25 104.95 ERI*EDUCATIONAL RESOUR 800-624-2926 IL USA COMPUTERS, COMPUTER PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE 2004-03-24 (Wed) 2004-03-25 105.83 CEC*CHILDCRAFT 800-631-5652 PA USA DIRCT MARKETING/DIRCT MARKETERS--NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-03-24 (Wed) 2004-03-26 134.46 FLAGHOUSE INC 800-7937900 NJ USA DIRCT MARKETING/DIRCT MARKETERS--NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-03-25 (Thur) 2004-03-26 68.97 CEC*CHILDCRAFT 800-631-5652 PA USA DIRCT MARKETING/DIRCT MARKETERS--NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-03-26 (Friday) 2004-03-29 54.82 FLAGHOUSE INC 800-7937900 NJ USA DIRCT MARKETING/DIRCT MARKETERS--NOT ELSEWHERE CLA 2004-03-29 (Monday) 2004-03-30 129.99 MPORT DALLAS TX USA MISCELLANEOUS GENERAL MERCHANDISE 2004-04-02 (Friday) 2004-04-05 300.84 LAKESHORE LEARNING MTR CARSON CA USA SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE 2004-04-19 (Monday) 2004-04-21 100.00 WALMART SUPERCENT SE2 COCKRELL HILL TX USA GROCERY STORES,AND SUPERMARKETS 2004-04-19 (Monday) 2004-04-21 $1,111.35 WALMART SUPERCENT SE2 COCKRELL HILL TX USA GROCERY STORES,AND SUPERMARKETS 2004-04-20 (Tuesday) 2004-04-22 19.84 HOBBY LOBBY #272 DALLAS TX USA HOBBY,TOY,AND GAME STORES 2004-04-20 (Tuesday) 2004-04-22 69.98 CONTAINER STORE DALLASTX DALLAS TX USA MISCELLANEOUS AND SPECIALTY RETAIL STORES 2004-04-20 (Tuesday) 2004-04-22 620.91 LAKESHORE LEARNING 18 DALLAS TX USA BUSINESS SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED 2004-04-22 (Thursday) 2004-04-23 138.62 WAL MART FARMERS BRANC TX USA DISCOUNT STORES |
www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/19/schools-pu
shed-for-fiscal-transparency/print/
shed-for-fiscal-transparency/print/
In case you missed it, here's a link to Andrea Billups' nice article about online school district check registers (U.S. & Texas). |
| Butkovitz: School funds mishandled By MENSAH M. DEAN / Philadelphia Daily News / Posted on Wed, Apr. 8, 2009 Student-activity funds are supposed to finance entertainment, clubs, sports and other extracurricular activities at the city's public schools, but routinely the money is mishandled, City Controller Alan Butkovitz said yesterday as he released an audit of the funds. Each of the 15 high schools included in the audit failed to comply with some aspect of the district's rules, Butkovitz said. "This would lead us to conclude that all student-fund accounts throughout the school district are being used for inappropriate purchases, as well as having limited supporting backup documentation," he said. Throughout the 157,000-student district, the activity-fund accounts held $5.3 million in 2008, the year covered by the audit. Butkovitz's findings include:
that in the past year, the district has strengthened controls over student funds. This includes enhancing the online manual that delineates policies and mandates quarterly reports. Read the audit at www.philadelphiacontroller.org. |
Bottom line for now? A superintendent hired by an appointed board has no
impetus to move towards transparency in the form of online checks. Remember, Arlene
spent $45,000 on her Diners Club credit card her last year as San Francisco USD supe.
As things now stand, anyone wanting to learn what her present pattern and amount of
credit card expenditures in Philadelphia are will have to go through the time, effort and
expense of filing public records requests and wading through piles of hard-to-read
xeroxed copies of receipts; thus far, the Philadelphia press has not been willing or able to
make such an investment.
If Philly schools' checks were online, the average citizen could easily look for themselves.
impetus to move towards transparency in the form of online checks. Remember, Arlene
spent $45,000 on her Diners Club credit card her last year as San Francisco USD supe.
As things now stand, anyone wanting to learn what her present pattern and amount of
credit card expenditures in Philadelphia are will have to go through the time, effort and
expense of filing public records requests and wading through piles of hard-to-read
xeroxed copies of receipts; thus far, the Philadelphia press has not been willing or able to
make such an investment.
If Philly schools' checks were online, the average citizen could easily look for themselves.
| Audit: Philadelphia student funds mishandled The Associated Press Posted on Tue, Apr. 7, 2009 PHILADELPHIA - An audit has found that student activity funds are widely mishandled in Philadelphia's public schools. City controller Alan Butkovitz wants the Philadelphia School District to better manage the funds. He says there were problems at all 15 high schools that were reviewed. Butkovitz says a manual provided to principals, staff and students isn't being followed. But he says there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. The student funds are raised through class dues, bake sales and other fundraising activities. The problems ranged from a $47,000 certificate of deposit that could not be located at one high school, to student funds diverted toward staff meals and salaries at another school. |
| Following the money in our vendor-driven schools 15 vendors & other special money interest groups at school meetings--know 'em? |
| The nation's 1st & only daily conservative public education commentary - Solutions, not Fear |
| P E Y T O N W O L C O T T |
How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
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| Copyright 1999-2009 Peyton Wolcott |
"Walk softly and carry a big stick." -- Teddy Roosevelt "Trust but verify." -- Ronald Reagan |
| Just because you can doesn't mean you should. |
| H o w w e t a k e b a c k o u r c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n: o n e p e r s o n , o n e q u e s t i o n , o n e s c h o o l a t a t i m e. |
| Check Registers US TX Flyer Ask your district Set goals/organize Ask questions Board Ethids Pledges Watchdog? AngryActivist Alert PR |
n e w c o m m e n t a r i e s
| ERDI supe Alton Frailey (Katy ISD / Texas) versus public freedoms |
| First They Came First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out --because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak out for me. -- Pastor Martin Niemoeller |
| Gloria from Luling on sidewalk outside Walsh Anderson party at Austin's Iron Cactus with unnamed man who was shy about revealing his name (TASA Mid Winter, 2007 ) |
| Soghra Najafpour (L) was sentenced to death at age 13 for the first time in Iran; she's now 31 -- more here. Did principal Robin E. Lowe (L) mention Soghra during her 'Islam 101' day May 22 at Friendswood JH? Will she mention Soghra at her new gig running Houston ISD's Pershing MS? Wouldn't that be a step towards "raising [her students'] awareness of the culture" -- of the true culture -- in Iran? That perhaps Robin's invited speakers from CAIR might have forgotten to mention? Oops? UPDATE: As of today no response yet from Robin to telephone and email queries. |
IRAN: Execution
Danger Alert
Danger Alert
| The American Superintendent (Leonard Merrell) as Allan Ramsay's King George III (Mixed-media collage by Peyton Wolcott, Copyright 2008) |
Wolcott
Peyton
| Mar.2009 commentaries here |
| 1. End discretionary spending. Set an example for your staff; let them know you mean business about running a tighter ship: No trips, no conferences, no meals, no credit cards. If you want to learn more about something, use Google. Do a webinar. Read a newsletter. No golf games with vendors, ever. No chauffeurs, no rental cars. Stay home, do your work and keep your nose clean. 2. Reduce administrative costs. Go through your administrative staff roster and cut every other job, starting with getting rid of all PR and marketing. No advisors, no consultants. Learn how to really read a budget. Put your check register and all wire transfers online. 3. Ethics. No nepotism. Let your wife and kids earn a living in a field other than education. No board members' spouses working in the district. Conduct all discussions with vendors and potential vendors in the open; invite your public to watch and ask questions. Throw away your contract and work year by year. Move your chair off the dais at board meetings. You're not a team member with your elected trustees. You're not equal to them. They're your boss. 4. No construction. If you're the rare district truly experiencing sufficient growth to justify building new schools, splinter off that population and let them start their own new school district or charter school. They might be able to take over an abandoned church or office building for much less than the Taj Mahal you had in mind. 5. Back-to-basics curriculum. Math table (1st grade: add, 2nd grade: subtract, 3rd grade multiply, 4th grade divide) daily drill. You made sure your own kids learned the basics at home or with tutors; why shouldn't all children have that same opportunity? Ditto for phonics. Classical literature. History, not social studies. No more block scheduling. Daily P.E. for all. Emphasize individual effort and accomplishment. 6. Attitude. You're a public servant, not a Third World dictator. Practice humility and gratitude. Remember when your employees laugh at your jokes or tell you you're cool or vendors marvel at your every utterance that they're all sucking up to you. Remember why you got into education to begin with. Sell your house in the gated community and buy one in the middle of a real subdivision like your average parents and taxpayers can afford. Let yourself be driven not by the latest platitude you picked up at the latest education conference but by the same wonderful noble desire to educate kids that got you into this field. |
b e s t
p r a c t i c e s
p r a c t i c e s
s c h o o l n e w s
q u i c k l i n k s
q u i c k l i n k s
| More "Best Practices" here. |
| U.S. FEDERAL TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO DISD 2000-2007 2000-2001 $ 121,951,145 2001-2002 $ 137,745,786 2002-2003 $ 169,103,740 2003-2004 $ 188,618,903 2004-2005 $ 188,838,330 2005-2006 $ 215,068,567 2006-2007 $ 217,970,686 TOTAL $1,239,297,157 |
| TEXAS TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO DISD 2000-2007 2000-2001 $ 204,116,731 2001-2002 $ 180,097,229 2002-2003 $ 254,465,426 2003-2004 $ 199,905,502 2004-2005 $ 199,940,243 2005-2006 $ 198,907,113 2006-2007 $ 305,839,277 TOTAL $1,543,271,521 |
| Friday, May 1, 2009 |
Texas and U.S. taxpayers have sent
almost $3 billion
to Dallas ISD since 2000
almost $3 billion
to Dallas ISD since 2000
| Best Practices Ethics pledges Transparency Lax oversight San Antonio Triple Crown Team of 8 Pass the trash |
| FAQ + ARCHIVES + FOLLOW THE MONEY + CHECK REGISTER INFO + STATE & LOCAL + GOVERNANCE + VENDORS/LOBBYISTS + |
| When I first saw the headline yesterday morning that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich had just been arrested along with his chief of staff, John F. Harris, on charges of among other things trying to sell Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat, my first reaction was probably not that different from yours, "Oh. Illinois." You know, as in the 3 R's: prior governor George Ryan, former Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, and long-time Obama supporter Tony Rezko. As in, to quote Matt Drudge, "Crook County." As in, "Chicago, |
| Arne Duncan (L) and Rod "Even My Hair's For Sale" Blagojevich (R) (GRAPHIC IMAGE--Peyton Wolcott) |
| What's Arne Duncan's track record on financial transparency? Given that getting rid of corruption in public education must be job one for the next US DOE secretary, and given that Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan has deep ties to Chi-Land (he's from there), and given also that he's a front runner for the post, a good question to ask is, "How transparent has Arne been during his tenure as supe of Chicago schools?" Meaning, how much has he opened up specific-dollar CPS actual financials to the public in the cheapest, easiest and fastest way possible, by putting checks online? No pie charts, no percentages, no aggregates, but real checks-to? When I went looking on Chicago Schools' website and couldn't find their checks, I called the CPS PR department and asked whether Arne had made any plans to put their check register online. After explaining to the fellow with whom I spoke what a check register was, he said he'd look into it and get back to me. Shouldn't be that hard; even though Florida's Miami-Dade County Public Schools has fewer students, if we can believe Chicago Public Schools accounting over Miami's M-DCPS spent a lot more money last year, $6.7 billion for all expenditures, all funds as opposed to the $4.6 bilion CPS will admit to. I sent the PR guy a helpful link to Miami's check register so Arne could see for himself. Oh, wait! Miami-Dade's check register is online because Marta Perez, an elected trustee, pushed for it last year -- but all seven Chicago Public Schools trustees are appointed by Mayor Daley. D'ya think they'd risk losing their appointments by pushing for financial transparency with a Chicago mayor who controls all of Chicago public ed? No response yet from CPS Perhaps that was the famous "I'll get back to you when Hell freezes over" time frame. Or, maybe what the CPS PR guy really meant was, "It's a long way to Tipperary which is where we hid the check register |
| Corruption Capital" and the "Chicago Machine." As in, apparently anything goes in Chi-Land and surrounds that's not nailed down. Graft, graft everywhere and not a drop to drink Chicago's suburbs have not been immune from graft and corruption. It was just over three years ago -- a year after Gov. Blagojevich appointed Thomas Ryan, then-supe of Community Consolidated School District 168 in Sauk Village (a half-hour south of Chicago) to a task force of school administrators to help shape Blagojevich's new Department of Education -- that investigators raided Ryan's home and hauled off a |
| Left: Thomas Ryan (center) in his garage. Right: Investigator carrying laundry basket filled with cash. (PHOTOS--Southtown Star) |
| laundry basket filled with cash, ten years of financial records, computers and a collapsible metal billy club. Ryan was eventually indicted, tried and sent to a minimal-security prison where, presumably without the asp, he served only a few years of his eight-year sentence. |
| SAUK VILLAGE SCHOOLS: Role played by investigative journalists A shout out to the Daily Southtown: The Illinois State Attorney only began looking into Sauk Village schools' finances after The Daily Southtown published stories by reporters Linda Lutton and Kati Phillip regarding questionable payments made to Thomas Ryan, his family and school district vendors. _________________________________________ |
| And earlier this year it was reported that "former Hoover-Schrum Elementary District 157 administrator Rosemary Hendricks was paid as superintendent for the Calumet City school system and another suburban Cook County school district." Two months ago, the suburban Cook County district, Bellwood SD 88, accepted Hendricks' resignation and appointed an interim supe. (SOURCES--Joan Carreon/ Northwestern Indiana Times; David Pollard/Proviso Herald; and Proviso Insider Blogspot) |
| While a former Chicago Public School manager remained jailed on felony theft charges Tuesday, the high school that entrusted her with its finances is struggling to recover from a loss of nearly half a million dollars. Marilyn Jenkins-Evans, 47, was ordered held on $200,000 bail by Criminal Court Judge Thomas Hennelly, a day after |
| Closer to home, Tracy Dell'Angela and Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune reported on something that occurred on Arne Duncan's watch as CEO at Chicago Public Schools: |
| Marilyn Jenkins-Evans 2006 mug shot |
| she was arrested on allegations that she stole $457,000 from Simeon Career Academy High School, where she once worked as business manager. Investigators alleged that she wrote herself 319 checks, forged the former principal's signature and deposited them in her personal accounts over more than five years at the school. "How is this school going to recoup that money?" asked the interim principal of the South Side school, Leonard Kenebrew. "That's $90,000 a year for five years. That could have been novels. Or microscopes. Or training for the teachers. Or field trips for the students. It's so depressing." |
| and when we get it cleaned up I'll get back to you." In any event, at press time there was still no response from Chi-Land Schools about Arne's intention (or not) to put their check register online. Here's hoping Mayor Daley will let Arne put CPS checks online whether or not Arne makes US DOE secretary; specific-dollar transparency in the form of online check registers is a terrific way for honest Illinois administrators and politicians to separate themselves from the Blagojevich / 3R's crowd. |
| Hats off to David L. Cockerham Espanola #55 (NM) Online Calendar |
It's frustrating for moms
and dads and taxpayers to
call their superintendent's
office only to be told by the
secretary that he/she is not
available. Period. With no
explanations offered or
given, even when pressed.
Not so in Espanola Public
School District #55 in New
Mexico, located just north of
Santa Fe and Nambe
Pueblo. Superin-
tendent David L. Cocker-
ham's calendar is included
as part of his report to the
board; better yet for the
public, a link to the PDF'd
calendar is included in the
district's BoardBook
paperless Agenda Packet--
along with their checks.
Way to go, David & board!
(Posted 01.03.09)
and dads and taxpayers to
call their superintendent's
office only to be told by the
secretary that he/she is not
available. Period. With no
explanations offered or
given, even when pressed.
Not so in Espanola Public
School District #55 in New
Mexico, located just north of
Santa Fe and Nambe
Pueblo. Superin-
tendent David L. Cocker-
ham's calendar is included
as part of his report to the
board; better yet for the
public, a link to the PDF'd
calendar is included in the
district's BoardBook
paperless Agenda Packet--
along with their checks.
Way to go, David & board!
(Posted 01.03.09)
| Above, Espanola students greet bikers on their "Run for the Wall" 2008 trek from California to the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington, D.C. |
| Terms & Conditions Sorry to have to include this; some groups--God bless them--have copied my research and published it as their own. |
| Robin Hood & 22 'equity' failures: MALDEF's 22 Edgewood districts cost Texans billions in failed academics & extravagance. |
| How to persuade your district: The friendly approach--take the Golden Rule with you when asking your schools to post their check registers. Testimo- nials (issues & concerns). |
| Are there enough degrees of separation between Arne and Blagojevich for Arne to be the next US DOE secretary? By Peyton Wolcott Wednesday, December 10, 2008 / 12:02 a.m. - Updated Wednesday, December 10, 2008 / 9:59 a.m. |
| Transparency history Llano ISD FOIA conviction Edgewood ISD PD re FOIA Progress by March 2007 1st year ann'y: Oct. 2007 Gov.Perry & Comm.Scott |
| CHECK REGISTERS |
| Raise Your Hand Texas 816 Congress Ave Suite 990 Austin, TX 78701 Ratliff, William R. (00020737) P.O. Box 1218 Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456 $25,000 - $49.999.99 Raise Your Hand 327 Congress Suite 450 Austin, TX 78701 Erben, Randall H. (00013689) 807 Brazos Suite 402 Austin, TX 78701 50,000 - $99,999.99 Wakefield, Kakhi H. (00062269) 807 Brazos Street Suite 402 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Yarbrough, Brian G. (00037475) 807 Brazos Suite 402 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 |
| Ratliff II, Shannon H. (00050870) (512)494-3656 - Bracewell & Giuliani LLP 111 Congress Avenue Suite 2300 Austin, TX 78701 Long-time school law attorneys: Bracewell & Giuliani LLP 111 Congress Avenue Suite 2300 Austin, TX 78701-4304 Less Than $10,000.00 Active school tech vendors: Cisco Systems Inc. 12515 Research Blvd. Building 2 Austin, TX 78759 $50,000 - $99,999.99 City of Carrollton 1945 E. Jackson Road Carrollton, TX 75006 $50,000 - $99,999.99 Invenergy Wind Development LLC 1400 S. Congress Avenue Suite B-330 Austin, TX 78704 $50,000 - $99,999.99 Not in good standing as of Jan. 28, 2009 with Texas Comptroller: The Corporation for Texas Regionalism 1305 San Antonio Street Austin, TX 78701 $50,000 - $99,999.99 Heaven forbid that the Ratliff's wouldn't get some of the taxpayer bank bailout money: Wachovia Corporation 150 Fayetteville Street Mall Suite 600 Raleigh, NC 27601 $50,000 - $99,999.99 |
| RATLIFF LOBBYISTS |
| Raise Your Hand for Public Schools/Raise Your Hand Texas 816 Congress Suite 990 Austin, TX 78701 Anderson, David D. (00053708) 823 Congress Suite 900 Austin, TX 78701 $25,000 - $49.999.99 Jones, Neal T. Jr. (00013745) 823 Congress Suite 900 Austin, TX 78701 Less Than $10,000.00 Raise Your Hand for Public Schools PO Box 302183 Austin, TX 78730 All "less than $10,000": Eschberger, Brenda (00029854) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Girard, Charles H. (00058717) 504 West 14th Street Austin, TX 78701 Johnson, Michael J. (00055885) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Kelley, Russell T. (00013737) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 Kemptner, Sara (00057952) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 McGarah, Carol (00051437) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 McGarry, Mignon (00012905) 504 West 14th Street Austin, TX 78701 Sabo, Jason T. (00052402) 1122 Colorado Street Suite 102 Austin, TX 78701 Waldon, Barbara (00057030) 919 Congress Avenue Suite 950 Austin, TX 78701 |
| Ratliff, William R. (00020737) (903)572-1846 P.O. Box 1218 Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456 Such a sweet deal! Found "Raise Your Hand Texas" then make more than the average Texan's salary from this alone: Raise Your Hand Texas 816 Congress Ave Suite 990 Austin, TX 78701 $25,000 - $49.999.99 |
| RAISE YOUR HAND ENTITIES/LOBBYISTS |
| [Raise Your Hand director] Bull, Blaine H. (00012158) (512)744-0044 327 Congress Ave. Suite 450 Austin, TX 78701 CHRISTUS Health 4109 Carmel Mountain McKinney, TX 75070 $25,000 - $49.999.99 Texas Border Coalition 901 Business Park Dr. Suite 200 Mission, TX 78572 $10,000 - $24,999.99 Texas Employers for Immigration 1209 Nueces Street Austin, TX 78701 $10,000 - $24,999.99 |
| Yolanda Larkin of Brownsboro ISD (left, standing) facilitated this table's group consensus statement regarding their Harvard experience at the "Raise Your Hand" January 28, 2009 conference at the Austin Hilton. |
| A teacher among teachers: Rafe Esquith of The Hobart Shakespeareans (LAUSD / CA) |
| Rafe Esquith (L) with |
Recently when I attended a
Charles Butt-hosted "Raise
Your Hand" event in Austin
several principals voiced
concerns about the issues
and problems many
students bring to school
with them; they asked
about additional funding
available for dealing with
such students.
Why do educators
automatically seek more
dollars for dealing with
challenged students when
the richness they seek lies
within their own hearts?
Rafe Esquith, a 5th-grade
teacher in Los Angeles
USD, is daily confronted
with all of these same
issues then some.
Hobart Elementary's Room
56, home to Rafe's "Hobart
Shakespeareans," is
situated in one of the
poorest parts of LA.; all of
his students qualify for free
breakfast and lunches, and
few speak English as a
first language. Many are
from poor or troubled
families. The school is on
frequent lockdown
because of drug traffickers.
Charles Butt-hosted "Raise
Your Hand" event in Austin
several principals voiced
concerns about the issues
and problems many
students bring to school
with them; they asked
about additional funding
available for dealing with
such students.
Why do educators
automatically seek more
dollars for dealing with
challenged students when
the richness they seek lies
within their own hearts?
Rafe Esquith, a 5th-grade
teacher in Los Angeles
USD, is daily confronted
with all of these same
issues then some.
Hobart Elementary's Room
56, home to Rafe's "Hobart
Shakespeareans," is
situated in one of the
poorest parts of LA.; all of
his students qualify for free
breakfast and lunches, and
few speak English as a
first language. Many are
from poor or troubled
families. The school is on
frequent lockdown
because of drug traffickers.
| The Hobart Shakesperareans believe "There Are No Shortcuts." These 5th grade children begin to arrive in class at 6:30 a.m. and by 7:00 a.m. are solving complex math problems a full hour before traditional school begins. They stay until 5:00 p.m. or even later, and voluntarily come to school during their vacation periods. They read high school level literature and devour United States History, learning how to be good Americans. Most important of all, these children are recog- nized around the world for their outstanding character. In addition to scoring extra- ordinarily high on standard- ized tests, these students feed the homeless, raise money for the Red Cross, and give performances to support AIDS research. These students receive over $1 million each year in scholarships to attend first- rate schools. Oustanding prep schools know these students are a sure thing. |
| The Hobart Shakespearans performing in Texas (Summer 2008) |
Because Rafe succeeds
where others fail -- rather
than producing high school
dropouts as do many of his
peers at urban schools, his
students attend an
impressive array of colleges
-- let's listen to Rafe:
where others fail -- rather
than producing high school
dropouts as do many of his
peers at urban schools, his
students attend an
impressive array of colleges
-- let's listen to Rafe:
I'm hoping that this August
rather than hiring outside
convocation speakers at
$5,000 a pop our adminis-
trators will save $4,970 and
instead show their staff Mel
Stuart's video about Rafe
and his kids. It will inspire
and encourage even the
most tired and jaded of our
wonderful educators.
rather than hiring outside
convocation speakers at
$5,000 a pop our adminis-
trators will save $4,970 and
instead show their staff Mel
Stuart's video about Rafe
and his kids. It will inspire
and encourage even the
most tired and jaded of our
wonderful educators.
Specific immediate steps
educators and trustees
can take to lower costs:
educators and trustees
can take to lower costs:
| Edu-Monopoly Education,Inc Technology Audits ERDI Financial Exigency Credit cards TX supes travel/meals Edu-Conferences TASA MidWinter Supes/Golf/Vendors 1 2 3 |
| Leonard Merrell Center Katy ISD, Texas (PHOTO--Peyton Wolcott) |
| S-t-r-a-t-e-g-e-r-y Tom Harmon "Running the Rapids" |
We are entering serious
and dangerous times in
America in which we can,
must and will prevail. As
with other similar periods
throughout history it will
help to be agile of mind and
fleet of foot.
This account of University of
Michigan football great Tom
Harmon first describes his
use of his old UM "Shoot
the Rapids" strategy on the
gridiron which he handily
adapted first while in the air
as a World War II fighter
pilot then as a downed and
seriously injured soldier
escaping to safety from
behind enemy lines.
and dangerous times in
America in which we can,
must and will prevail. As
with other similar periods
throughout history it will
help to be agile of mind and
fleet of foot.
This account of University of
Michigan football great Tom
Harmon first describes his
use of his old UM "Shoot
the Rapids" strategy on the
gridiron which he handily
adapted first while in the air
as a World War II fighter
pilot then as a downed and
seriously injured soldier
escaping to safety from
behind enemy lines.
Tom's ingenuity and heart
are good to keep in mind
whether you're helping
school board candidates,
or persuading your district
to post its check register
online, or anything else in
our schools or your life.
(Posted 03.10.09)
are good to keep in mind
whether you're helping
school board candidates,
or persuading your district
to post its check register
online, or anything else in
our schools or your life.
(Posted 03.10.09)
| Tom Harmon (Photo courtesy U-M Bentley Historical Library) |
One of the challenges
faced by OneBraveNewWorld
Baccalaureate ("OBNWB")
has been the charge by many
parents that they were teach-
ing students "fuzzy" or "Rain-
forest" math, with too few
pertinent examples from real
life problems everyday people
face in their ordinary lives.
faced by OneBraveNewWorld
Baccalaureate ("OBNWB")
has been the charge by many
parents that they were teach-
ing students "fuzzy" or "Rain-
forest" math, with too few
pertinent examples from real
life problems everyday people
face in their ordinary lives.
SPECIAL TO MY READERS
Sneak peek: sample math
problems from 'Real World
Math' by OneBraveNew-
World Baccalaureate
By Peyton Wolcott
Thu., Mar. 26, 2009/6:31 pm
Sneak peek: sample math
problems from 'Real World
Math' by OneBraveNew-
World Baccalaureate
By Peyton Wolcott
Thu., Mar. 26, 2009/6:31 pm
| Real life people, real-life problems for real-life students to help solve: President Barack Obama (L); White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (R). |
| REAL WORLD MATH PROBLEM #44: President Obama's brother Malik in Kenya has come down with cholera. |
| PHOTO CREDITS: Problem 44, Boniface Mwangi/Bloomberg |
| Orange County Weekly: Capistrano USD supe Woody Carter at edu-conference spa |
Feeling angry & powerless about the radical changes
occurring in our great nation?
Five easy things you can do to make a difference.
By Peyton Wolcott
Monday, March 30, 2009 / 12:52 am - Updated Tuesday, March 31, 2009/10:00 am
Want to be effective? Forget tea bag labels in envelopes unless the ones you're
sending to Congress and the White House came from that boat loaded with tea in
Boston's harbor in 1773. Our forefathers understood meaningful activism. They didn't
settle for standing around grousing on street corners or goofy gestures.
'Politics is local, school politics is localer' *
Because the most local form of of government available to us, the one place the average
person has any real chance of making a real difference, is our own school district, start
there.
Here are five easy things you can do that will make a difference:
occurring in our great nation?
Five easy things you can do to make a difference.
By Peyton Wolcott
Monday, March 30, 2009 / 12:52 am - Updated Tuesday, March 31, 2009/10:00 am
Want to be effective? Forget tea bag labels in envelopes unless the ones you're
sending to Congress and the White House came from that boat loaded with tea in
Boston's harbor in 1773. Our forefathers understood meaningful activism. They didn't
settle for standing around grousing on street corners or goofy gestures.
'Politics is local, school politics is localer' *
Because the most local form of of government available to us, the one place the average
person has any real chance of making a real difference, is our own school district, start
there.
Here are five easy things you can do that will make a difference:
Because our public schools are about money and power, look at their financials. Persuade your district to put its check register online. Ask to see your district's credit card expenditures. 3. Track your board member's financial ties of any kind to your district and its vendors; this includes spouses and other family members working there along with their trips to conferences and trainings. Find out when they're treated to meals and other gifts.
4. Track the nepotism in your school district. Ask to view your administrators' doctoral dissertations.
5. Take a look at your district's textbooks. Are there lies in the history books? Are middle schools being exposed to steamy literature rather than Shakespeare? Let your community know, with specific examples.
4. Track the nepotism in your school district. Ask to view your administrators' doctoral dissertations.
5. Take a look at your district's textbooks. Are there lies in the history books? Are middle schools being exposed to steamy literature rather than Shakespeare? Let your community know, with specific examples.
1. Ask questions -- lots of them.
| * This quote is from former Texas Speaker Gib Lewis. Many thanks to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Dave Lieber for his "Ask Lots of Questions" campaign. |
| More beiow re Dave Lieber's campaign. |
3. Track school construction costs & vendors.
| Ask to view your superintendent's most recent tax return. (I keep hearing one here in Texas used to show his to his board.) If he/she won't show it to you, ask in a jovial way what he's hiding; point out that you already know his salary. Ask what side consulting he's doing: where, how much, when. Ask your school board what business they are doing with your district, in any capacity (as vendors, subcontractors, sales, consultants, etc.). Ask your supe and board if they have any family members working at the district and/or doing business with the district in any role. Does your district have any credit or procurement cards and if so who is |
| authorized to use them? Ask to see the most recent three months' receipts they have on hand. If your district's check register isn't online yet, persuade them to do so. Follow the money. Share your findings with your community in a nice way. |
| Ask to view your district's payments to contractors and subs on the most recent construction project(s). Visit your local tax office and central appraisal district (CAD) to track the land purchase -- who owned it and when, three transactions (or 10 years) back, and what it changed hands for, at what price, via which realtors. Compare your list with the list of donors to your district's most recent school bond election, millage, etc. Follow the money. Share your findings with your community in a nice way. |
4. Track your district's nepotism.
| Start with your superintendent, school board and top-paid administrators. So often their spouses get the easier jobs -- running a classroom is a lot of work compared to being a reading specialist. Then move to the next level -- coaches, athletic directors, principals -- and their spouses. Follow the money trail. Using a flow chart or graph or even a bare-bones list, share your findings with your community in a nice way. |
5. Look at textbooks & lesson plans.
| Are the history books accurate or do they present history with a liberal or pro-special interest group bias? What is your students' exposure to literature -- is it drecky contemporary lowest-common- denominator drivel or is it uplifting and positive? Are they studying the classics? Great literature? Are students actually reading an entire book or are they doing it in teams, a chapter per student? Are students drilled in the math tables 15-20 minutes each day (1st grade/addition; 2nd grade/ subtraction; 3rd grade/multiplication; 4th grade/division). If your supe considers this a waste of time, ask him/her what 8 times 9 is -- can they tell you without a calculator? What about their own kids -- did they work with them at home or send them to tutors? Why would they deny this opportunity to poor kids? Share your findings with your community in a nice way. |
2. Taxes, homesteads, kids, citizenship.
| Are your supe's and board members' property taxes current? Are they declaring (illegal) double homesteads in 2 districts? Verify for yourself that they actually live in your school district. Are their kids and grandkids enrolled in your school district? If not, why are they on the board -- if not for self-serving self-promoting business-orented reasons. Do they hold dual citizenships with other countries? Follow the money. Share your findings with your community in a nice way. |
Take a page from our liberal friends' effective use of PR.
Be nice. Be friendly. Couch your questions and statements in the gentlest way possible --
don't be strident, don't make demands.
First the footmen, then the horses. Start small, start local, start simple. Ask.
Persuade. If you can't make any changes in your own local district, how on Earth can you
expect to make changes at the state or national level? From Jo-El: If you cannot keep up
with the footmen, how can you expect to run with the horses?
If you're game for bigger challenges, take over your local school board like we did -- as
they've done in California's Capistrano USD -- but get your candidates to sign public ethics
and accountability pledges first to help them remain strong against the inroads vendors
and administrators will try to make on their integrity. Imagine how differently things might
have turned out if even one of us had thought to ask George H.W. Bush to put his promise
"No new taxes" in writing, in a publicly signed pledge. (You see the importance of the public
signing.) Make it a big event to help them remain true to your ideals and theirs.
If you get stuck please email me and I'll help you as much as I can. May God bless America.
Be nice. Be friendly. Couch your questions and statements in the gentlest way possible --
don't be strident, don't make demands.
First the footmen, then the horses. Start small, start local, start simple. Ask.
Persuade. If you can't make any changes in your own local district, how on Earth can you
expect to make changes at the state or national level? From Jo-El: If you cannot keep up
with the footmen, how can you expect to run with the horses?
If you're game for bigger challenges, take over your local school board like we did -- as
they've done in California's Capistrano USD -- but get your candidates to sign public ethics
and accountability pledges first to help them remain strong against the inroads vendors
and administrators will try to make on their integrity. Imagine how differently things might
have turned out if even one of us had thought to ask George H.W. Bush to put his promise
"No new taxes" in writing, in a publicly signed pledge. (You see the importance of the public
signing.) Make it a big event to help them remain true to your ideals and theirs.
If you get stuck please email me and I'll help you as much as I can. May God bless America.
PHILADELPHIA PS (PA)
New audit findings make this a great time for supe Arlene
Ackerman to put Philly schools' check register online -- but
will she?
By Peyton Wolcott - Wed., April 8, 2009 / 2:30 a.m. - Updated Wed., April 8, 2009 / 9:01 a.m.
New audit findings make this a great time for supe Arlene
Ackerman to put Philly schools' check register online -- but
will she?
By Peyton Wolcott - Wed., April 8, 2009 / 2:30 a.m. - Updated Wed., April 8, 2009 / 9:01 a.m.
A missing $47,000 CD, 241 missing
shirts, and use of student activity funds
for employee salaries are among the
items in Philadelphia City Controller
Alan Butkovitz's audit findings released
this week; more below in grey boxes.
And this press release covers an audit
from last month of the district's vendors
showing that hundreds of vendors
were paid over $4 million who were not
registered with the City's Department of
Revenue, meaning the vendors were
not paying all applicable city taxes.
shirts, and use of student activity funds
for employee salaries are among the
items in Philadelphia City Controller
Alan Butkovitz's audit findings released
this week; more below in grey boxes.
And this press release covers an audit
from last month of the district's vendors
showing that hundreds of vendors
were paid over $4 million who were not
registered with the City's Department of
Revenue, meaning the vendors were
not paying all applicable city taxes.
| Is Arlene Ackerman's bed of roses period still in play in Philadelphia? |
Expenditures at Philadelphia
Schools under Paul Vallas
Among former Philly schools supe
Paul Vallas' expenditures detailed in
the March audit were $16,322 to a
consultant from Kansas for
"unidentified consulting services."
(Paul now runs the New Orleans
public school system; you'll recall he
was the fellow who persuaded the
Illinois State Legislature to place
Schools under Paul Vallas
Among former Philly schools supe
Paul Vallas' expenditures detailed in
the March audit were $16,322 to a
consultant from Kansas for
"unidentified consulting services."
(Paul now runs the New Orleans
public school system; you'll recall he
was the fellow who persuaded the
Illinois State Legislature to place
| [Vallas] talked a good game but appearance was ultimately more important than real change. The same mentality of cover up and cronyism continued. |
2. Q: Who wrote this Wiki?
| http://mobile.chicagotribune.com/inf/infomo?view=opinion%20art icle&feed:a=chi_trib_10min&feed:c=opinion&feed:i=45953377&n opaging=1 |
Meanwhile, two questions:
1. Q: Is Vallas looking at Illinois politics again?
A: Copy and paste this Chicago Trib URL:
1. Q: Is Vallas looking at Illinois politics again?
A: Copy and paste this Chicago Trib URL:
Put yourself in Arlene's shoes: Would
you voluntarily expose yourself and your
spending to this level of scrutiny by your
taxpayers? After all, they might not understand
the relevance of their dollars being spent to fund
a $789 dinner at Morton's and "hotel charges of
more than $3,500, another $559 meal, $144 for
airport parking" in connection with a Broad
Institute-related trip to Washington, DC.
Taxpayers might wonder why billionaire Eli
Broad doesn't pick up the tab for public school
executives' attendance at his meetings himself.
you voluntarily expose yourself and your
spending to this level of scrutiny by your
taxpayers? After all, they might not understand
the relevance of their dollars being spent to fund
a $789 dinner at Morton's and "hotel charges of
more than $3,500, another $559 meal, $144 for
airport parking" in connection with a Broad
Institute-related trip to Washington, DC.
Taxpayers might wonder why billionaire Eli
Broad doesn't pick up the tab for public school
executives' attendance at his meetings himself.
| America, so glad you're finding this website useful! Rankings for www.peytonwolcott.com: #1 on both Google & Yahoo! Keywords: online check registers public school district (04.14.09) |
Chicago Public Schools under the sole control of the Chicago mayor (Richard Daley) and
an appointed rather than an elected school board; Paul became CPS CEO. Also notable:
Vallas lost to Rod Blagojevich in the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Philadelphia's board is also a mayor-appointed board rather than an elected one.)
The two articles below (in grey boxes) outline the audit of the district's activity funds
released this week.
an appointed rather than an elected school board; Paul became CPS CEO. Also notable:
Vallas lost to Rod Blagojevich in the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Philadelphia's board is also a mayor-appointed board rather than an elected one.)
The two articles below (in grey boxes) outline the audit of the district's activity funds
released this week.
Jeb Bush might get my vote for prez--if he abandons his brother's
vendor-driven edu-plan
By Peyton Wolcott
Monday, April 13, 2009 / 6:04 a.m. - Updated Tuesday, April 14, 2009 / 8:37 a.m.
vendor-driven edu-plan
By Peyton Wolcott
Monday, April 13, 2009 / 6:04 a.m. - Updated Tuesday, April 14, 2009 / 8:37 a.m.
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush's roll-out of his education agenda on Sean Hannity at
Fox News last week appears to have been largely a verbatim rehashing of the same
worn-out edu-agenda that took his brother to the White House. It was so familiar in fact I
half-expected to see Bush buddies Sandy Kress (No Child Left Behind architect, Pearson
lobbyist and former Dallas ISD trustee) pop up in the background along with Teddy
Kennedy still toweling off from his Chappaquiddick swim.
Times have changed, and we can no longer afford unproven vendor-driven
non-peer-reviewed changes and curriculums selling hope and change, unproven ideas
designed to benefit those doing business with and profiting from public schools rather
than students. From last Friday's transcript:
Fox News last week appears to have been largely a verbatim rehashing of the same
worn-out edu-agenda that took his brother to the White House. It was so familiar in fact I
half-expected to see Bush buddies Sandy Kress (No Child Left Behind architect, Pearson
lobbyist and former Dallas ISD trustee) pop up in the background along with Teddy
Kennedy still toweling off from his Chappaquiddick swim.
Times have changed, and we can no longer afford unproven vendor-driven
non-peer-reviewed changes and curriculums selling hope and change, unproven ideas
designed to benefit those doing business with and profiting from public schools rather
than students. From last Friday's transcript:
| We should have a customized learning system for the student, not focused on the system, but focused on kids that uses more technology, that allows for more options . . . . |
The more encouraging news from Jeb might have been his promise that his brother Neil
would get out of the education business, his mom Barbara would stop giving away Neal's
edu-products especially when strings are attached, and Jeb would dissolve his
Foundation for Excellence in Education featuring such corporate partner/sponsors as 21st
Century Learning and McGraw-Hill -- and if Jeb would sign these pledges addressing the
heart of corruption within U.S. public schools.
The real problem we have, friends, is the amount of corruption in our schools which has
resulted in the inferior education delivery we've seen this past half-century, not to mention
the tax dollars wasted. Which candidates in 2010 and 2012 will distance themselves
from edu-vendors and truly address corruption?
would get out of the education business, his mom Barbara would stop giving away Neal's
edu-products especially when strings are attached, and Jeb would dissolve his
Foundation for Excellence in Education featuring such corporate partner/sponsors as 21st
Century Learning and McGraw-Hill -- and if Jeb would sign these pledges addressing the
heart of corruption within U.S. public schools.
The real problem we have, friends, is the amount of corruption in our schools which has
resulted in the inferior education delivery we've seen this past half-century, not to mention
the tax dollars wasted. Which candidates in 2010 and 2012 will distance themselves
from edu-vendors and truly address corruption?
| (IMAGE CREDIT--Fox News interpretation by Peyton Wolcott) |
Hey, America! What are you
gonna do today, April 16th?
By Peyton Wolcott
Wed., April 15, 2009 / 12:07 pm - Thu., April 16, 2009 / 12:02 am
gonna do today, April 16th?
By Peyton Wolcott
Wed., April 15, 2009 / 12:07 pm - Thu., April 16, 2009 / 12:02 am
Link: 2009 Texas Ethics
CommissionEdu-Lobbyists
Texas supe Dana
Marable
CommissionEdu-Lobbyists
Texas supe Dana
Marable
5 simple things you can do that
require little but time and energy,
things that will make a real
require little but time and energy,
things that will make a real
1. Ask your public school district to post its check register online,
then start a meaningful dialogue about spending based on facts.
(Why? Most school districts are the largest single budget in our counties. Start reining
them in first by helping them understand the difference between wants and genuine
needs.)
2. Make a list or a map of your Congressman's pork, circulate your
findings.
3. Volunteer to drill kids in the basic math tables after school in your
local district. While there, take a look at the social studies books,
see how many errors there are.
4. Find civic-minded folks willing to sign public voluntary ethics
pledges and help get them elected to the local school board.
5. Gather together with like-minded souls, agree on a single goal --
something you'd all like to change -- then do it.
Do something. Follow the money. Ask questions. Question
authority. Where to start? Grab a piece of what's closest to you
and clean it up.
then start a meaningful dialogue about spending based on facts.
(Why? Most school districts are the largest single budget in our counties. Start reining
them in first by helping them understand the difference between wants and genuine
needs.)
2. Make a list or a map of your Congressman's pork, circulate your
findings.
3. Volunteer to drill kids in the basic math tables after school in your
local district. While there, take a look at the social studies books,
see how many errors there are.
4. Find civic-minded folks willing to sign public voluntary ethics
pledges and help get them elected to the local school board.
5. Gather together with like-minded souls, agree on a single goal --
something you'd all like to change -- then do it.
Do something. Follow the money. Ask questions. Question
authority. Where to start? Grab a piece of what's closest to you
and clean it up.
difference. From a spark to a wildfire, friends . . . .
SUPE SEARCHES
Why homegrown is
better than using
outside search firms
By Peyton Wolcott
Sat., Apr. 18, 2009 /7:30 am
Why homegrown is
better than using
outside search firms
By Peyton Wolcott
Sat., Apr. 18, 2009 /7:30 am
Spring is in the air and superintendent resignation season has officially begun.
Nowhere else in the land does hope spring more eternal than in the collective bosom of school boards across America whose
superintendents have just quit. Trustees think to themselves privately or together with all the positive affirmation of the old
Soviet five-year plan, "This next one, we'll get a winner this time!" -- and promptly call a superintendent search firm, thereby
dashing any real possibility that they will get anything different let alone better than what they've just gotten rid of.
Nowhere else in the land does hope spring more eternal than in the collective bosom of school boards across America whose
superintendents have just quit. Trustees think to themselves privately or together with all the positive affirmation of the old
Soviet five-year plan, "This next one, we'll get a winner this time!" -- and promptly call a superintendent search firm, thereby
dashing any real possibility that they will get anything different let alone better than what they've just gotten rid of.
| Developing . . .Thank you for your patience. . . |
EDUCATION CONFERENCES
Another tough day at the office: In today's economy is this
appropriate taxpayer-funded behavior by school execs?
By Peyton Wolcott
Sunday, April 19, 2009 / 11:08 a.m.
Another tough day at the office: In today's economy is this
appropriate taxpayer-funded behavior by school execs?
By Peyton Wolcott
Sunday, April 19, 2009 / 11:08 a.m.
| What do you think? Should school execs be meeting with vendors behind closed doors at resorts? |
| " A meandering waterway within a wooded retreat lies The Marriott Woodlands Waterway Hotel and Convention Center, a state of the art facility offering a distinct setting for your next visit or meeting." |
Across America at this time of year public school superinten-
dents are attending weekend education conferences which often include Friday
afternoon golf tournaments with vendors. Even if as rarely occurs the supes
commendably pay their own expenses out of pocket, this still presents two major
problems:
dents are attending weekend education conferences which often include Friday
afternoon golf tournaments with vendors. Even if as rarely occurs the supes
commendably pay their own expenses out of pocket, this still presents two major
problems:
| "Panther Trail delivers a sleek course, new contours, water features, and fairways framed with over 20 acres of Texas Wildflowers. With 4 tee placements on each hole it's a sensational experience for golfers of all skill levels." |
(1) Public school administrators are hobnobbing* with
people trying to do business with their districts far away
from the public eye. As with the case of the Texas Association of
Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools (TAS/MUS) this organization has
refused to give press passes to journalists, meaning that the
hobnobbing is not only occurring at resorts where public school
district taxpayers and stakeholders might not spot them but also in a
setting closed to anything except their own self-oversight.
people trying to do business with their districts far away
from the public eye. As with the case of the Texas Association of
Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools (TAS/MUS) this organization has
refused to give press passes to journalists, meaning that the
hobnobbing is not only occurring at resorts where public school
district taxpayers and stakeholders might not spot them but also in a
setting closed to anything except their own self-oversight.
(2) Most superintendents
do not declare their Friday
golf games as vacation or
personal days but instead
call them "professional
development" which
means they get the
benefits of a vacation day
while on the taxpayers'
salary; this is one of the
main reasons why when
superintendents retire so
many are able to cash out
with six -figure unused
time packages -- with their
compensation for unused
vacation time paid not at
the earlier lower-end salary
but at the highest
career-ending dollars.
do not declare their Friday
golf games as vacation or
personal days but instead
call them "professional
development" which
means they get the
benefits of a vacation day
while on the taxpayers'
salary; this is one of the
main reasons why when
superintendents retire so
many are able to cash out
with six -figure unused
time packages -- with their
compensation for unused
vacation time paid not at
the earlier lower-end salary
but at the highest
career-ending dollars.
| Room at Barton Creek Hotel & Resort near Austin, site of upcoming CraigMichaels' education conference. |
Traditionally these conferences were hosted by
superintendents' professional organizations such as the
American Association of School Administrators or affiliated
state organizations. A new breed of conference has
emerged in the past few decades, conferences hosted by
entrepreneurs such as Mike Kneale's Education Research &
Development Institute (ERDI) and CraigMichaels who calls
his summits.
superintendents' professional organizations such as the
American Association of School Administrators or affiliated
state organizations. A new breed of conference has
emerged in the past few decades, conferences hosted by
entrepreneurs such as Mike Kneale's Education Research &
Development Institute (ERDI) and CraigMichaels who calls
his summits.
Another entry in this new breed is the California
Superintendent's Health & Wellness Institute, the brainchild
of David H. Murdock and Andrew Conrad; his under-reported
attendance at the Temecula event led to Capistrano USD
supe Woody Carter's recent ouster. That's Woody in the
cartoon above right published by Orange County Weekly
riffing on the spa treatment available to conference
participants.
Superintendent's Health & Wellness Institute, the brainchild
of David H. Murdock and Andrew Conrad; his under-reported
attendance at the Temecula event led to Capistrano USD
supe Woody Carter's recent ouster. That's Woody in the
cartoon above right published by Orange County Weekly
riffing on the spa treatment available to conference
participants.
CREDIT CARD ABUSE
Is Dallas nuts? No-account accountability --
no wonder they're in the hole
By Peyton Wolcott - Thurs., April 23, 2009 / 12:16 a.m. - Updated Thurs., April 23, 2009 / 10:27 p.m.
Is Dallas nuts? No-account accountability --
no wonder they're in the hole
By Peyton Wolcott - Thurs., April 23, 2009 / 12:16 a.m. - Updated Thurs., April 23, 2009 / 10:27 p.m.
Although this ad above is a hypothetical one Dallas and federal taxpayers might run, it's not
an ad to be likely funded by Dallas-area businesses and corporations. Why? They really
don't seem to care about the level of corruption in Dallas ISD. Why? Follow the money --
who benefits more from what many taxpayers view as wasteful spending -- including the
purchase of such personal items as heart-shaped diamond rings and pink Coach
handbags and matching paraphernalia by a district employee working in the central
administration building with unrestricted and unsupervised access to a district credit card --
but vendors? Further, the Dallas business community represents the actual leadership
behind Dallas ISD including all but one or two of the trustees, most of whom are receiving
directly or indirectly perqs and bene's from their trusteeships which compromise their votes.
What about the teachers' unions the administrators keep telling us are the real problem?
We need look only at who got fired last year: teachers -- not vendors, not consultants, not
contractors.
DISD procurement cards
For further proof, look at DISD's latest goofy chapter. From the day then-supe Bill Rojas
introduced procurement card purchasing to Dallas ISD in 1999 until the district --
embarrassed first by Allen Gwinn's expose on www.Dallas.org then the following year in The
Dallas Morning News -- finally dismantled the program in 2007, approximately $20-24
million per year was spent on the cards with no one watching receipts.
While an example is being made of Gloria Orapello, a secretary in the district's headquarters
offices whose DISD-funded belongings are being auctioned off (above) -- if you can believe
this, rather than the relatively paltry results being returned to district taxpayers Orapello will
be allowed to use the dollars towards paying off her court-ordered $100,000 restitution -- no
one else appears to have lost their jobs; at most 86 employees were reprimanded.
Former DISD interim Larry Groppel's wife Kathy's
$21,431.89 day--including an $11,000 WalMart charge
Let's look at the wife of former Dallas ISD business exec then interim supe Larry Groppel.
Kathy Groppel, now a special educa-
tion executive at Hillsboro ISD an hour to the southwest, who had use of a procurement card
while Larry was at the helm of the district's finances. During this period Mrs. Groppel's job
title was "itinerant teacher." During three and a half months (Jan.-April 2004), Kathy ran up a
total of $43,217.81 in charges. When I filed a public records request with Dallas ISD to find
out what these expenditures (below) were for, the district said they had no receipts.
an ad to be likely funded by Dallas-area businesses and corporations. Why? They really
don't seem to care about the level of corruption in Dallas ISD. Why? Follow the money --
who benefits more from what many taxpayers view as wasteful spending -- including the
purchase of such personal items as heart-shaped diamond rings and pink Coach
handbags and matching paraphernalia by a district employee working in the central
administration building with unrestricted and unsupervised access to a district credit card --
but vendors? Further, the Dallas business community represents the actual leadership
behind Dallas ISD including all but one or two of the trustees, most of whom are receiving
directly or indirectly perqs and bene's from their trusteeships which compromise their votes.
What about the teachers' unions the administrators keep telling us are the real problem?
We need look only at who got fired last year: teachers -- not vendors, not consultants, not
contractors.
DISD procurement cards
For further proof, look at DISD's latest goofy chapter. From the day then-supe Bill Rojas
introduced procurement card purchasing to Dallas ISD in 1999 until the district --
embarrassed first by Allen Gwinn's expose on www.Dallas.org then the following year in The
Dallas Morning News -- finally dismantled the program in 2007, approximately $20-24
million per year was spent on the cards with no one watching receipts.
While an example is being made of Gloria Orapello, a secretary in the district's headquarters
offices whose DISD-funded belongings are being auctioned off (above) -- if you can believe
this, rather than the relatively paltry results being returned to district taxpayers Orapello will
be allowed to use the dollars towards paying off her court-ordered $100,000 restitution -- no
one else appears to have lost their jobs; at most 86 employees were reprimanded.
Former DISD interim Larry Groppel's wife Kathy's
$21,431.89 day--including an $11,000 WalMart charge
Let's look at the wife of former Dallas ISD business exec then interim supe Larry Groppel.
Kathy Groppel, now a special educa-
tion executive at Hillsboro ISD an hour to the southwest, who had use of a procurement card
while Larry was at the helm of the district's finances. During this period Mrs. Groppel's job
title was "itinerant teacher." During three and a half months (Jan.-April 2004), Kathy ran up a
total of $43,217.81 in charges. When I filed a public records request with Dallas ISD to find
out what these expenditures (below) were for, the district said they had no receipts.
So how is it that a
school secretary's
purchases are being
auctioned off and Kathy
Groppel was allowed to
leave the district with no
apparent action take by the
district despite no receipts for
a lot of purchases? How does
an itinerant teacher spend
$11,000 at WalMart in a single
purchase? What did she
spend it and the other $2,450
on the same day there? Or the
school secretary's
purchases are being
auctioned off and Kathy
Groppel was allowed to
leave the district with no
apparent action take by the
district despite no receipts for
a lot of purchases? How does
an itinerant teacher spend
$11,000 at WalMart in a single
purchase? What did she
spend it and the other $2,450
on the same day there? Or the
| Clockwise from top left: Former DISD interim supe Larry Groppel, former DISD tech director Ruben Buhochot outside court, Fishing yacht Rehab Ruben had free use of while DISD tech direction, and former DISD supe Mike Moses. (PHOTOS--Dallas Morning News) More |
| KATHY (MRS. LARRY) GROPPEL'S PROCUREMENT CARD EXPENDITURES WHILE EMPLOYED AS AN "ITINERANT TEACHER" BY DALLAS ISD |
$1,000 at Target? Where's the justice?
Bottom line: Larry Groppel was at the helm of Dallas ISD along with Mike Moses during the
beginnings of the Ruben Bohuchot episode, and Larry was the business officer at DISD
when Kathy was using the procurement cards-with-no-receipts.
Bottom line: Larry Groppel was at the helm of Dallas ISD along with Mike Moses during the
beginnings of the Ruben Bohuchot episode, and Larry was the business officer at DISD
when Kathy was using the procurement cards-with-no-receipts.
| Temecula Creek Inn |
| Many thanks to Allen Gwinn at www.Dallas.org for making the above information available. |
CONTRA COSTA TIMES (CA)
Congratulations to
Craig Lazzeretti --
By Peyton Wolcott
Mon., Apr. 27, 2009/1:00 am
Congratulations to
Craig Lazzeretti --
By Peyton Wolcott
Mon., Apr. 27, 2009/1:00 am
| Antioch supe & 2005 Broad Inst. grad Deborah Sims (L), attorney Marleen Sacks (R) |
The timeline below
reflects the Contra Costa
Times' coverage of events
since the February 10
arrest of Carmen Dragon
Elementary music teacher,
James Carlile.
reflects the Contra Costa
Times' coverage of events
since the February 10
arrest of Carmen Dragon
Elementary music teacher,
James Carlile.
| TIMELINE Apr 25, 2009: Antioch school district hides information on child porn case Mar 16: Law firm to look into district's handling of child porn case. Live coverage: Antioch school board approves independent inquiry into child porn case Mar 13: Live coverage Monday: Antioch school board meeting on child porn case Mar 12: Antioch school board considers inquiry into child porn case Mar 11: Dr. Deborah Sims: AUSD answers questions regarding porn case Feb 25: Antioch school trustees ask for timeline on pornography incident Antioch police unsure whether child pornography was viewed during school hours Feb 23: Antioch police, school officials hold second parent meeting about teacher's child porn arrest. Antioch district, police to talk with parents tonight about music teacher's arrest. Editorial: Antioch community deserves complete explanation of teacher's arrest Feb 20: Document: Carmen Dragon Elementary letter to parents. Contradictions arise in accounts of Antioch child pornography investigation Feb 19: Press release: Antioch teacher arrested on child porn charges. Music teacher arrested in Antioch child porn investigation |
| Transaction Date Posted Amount Merchant City State Country For |
| James Carlile (APD mug shot) |
More here regarding
James Carlile's arrest from
The Times:
James Carlile's arrest from
The Times:
| ANTIOCH — An elementary school music teacher has been arrested after an investigation found he downloaded "significant amounts" of child pornography onto his work computer, police said. James Carlile, 52, a teacher at Carmen Dragon Elementary School, was arrested Feb. 10, a week after the pictures depicting naked children were first brought to the attention of Antioch police, said Investigations Lt. Leonard Orman. Inappropriate materials were discovered Jan. 15 by school computer technicians servicing Carlile's work terminal, said Deidra Powell-Williams, spokeswoman for the Antioch Unified School District. Police and Powell-Williams said Carlile had told technicians he was having trouble accessing specific Web sites. Carlile has been on paid administrative leave from the school since the discovery, Powell-Williams said. A forensic computer specialist determined that Carlile was the only person who had access to the terminal when the illegal photos were downloaded, according to police. Orman said there is no indication so far that any of the photos depicted students at the school. Carlile was arrested at a boat in Antioch where he resides during the school week, Orman said. On Feb. 11, Antioch police and sheriff's deputies from Calaveras County searched his Valley Springs home — where he keeps a permanent residence — and seized at least one computer, which is currently being examined. Carlile posted $10,000 bail. |
SO MANY CHALLENGES--WHERE TO START?
"It's a puzzlement"
By Peyton Wolcott - Monday, April 27, 2009 / 11: 26 a.m.
"It's a puzzlement"
By Peyton Wolcott - Monday, April 27, 2009 / 11: 26 a.m.
Yul Brynner as the King of Siam asked a series of apparently contradictory questions
then concluded, "Its a puzzlement."
then concluded, "Its a puzzlement."
| (L to R) U.S. Congressman Mike Conaway (Midland, Texas); Midland ISD employees: superintendent Sylvester Perez, Midland High School teacher Kenzi Friday, assistant superintendent Ed Zachary. |
| Prince Charles exiting private jet in Uganda in 2007 (PHOTO--UK Daily Mail) |
lecturing you on climate change when they are one of the greatest emitters of carbon
themselves."
But that's a U.K. problem -- what about the U.S.?
While the Brits remain mired in their own centuries-old oligarchical problems, we seem
to be heading down that same road ourselves, with leaders in our representative
republic telling us to do one thing while doing something else entirely themselves.
But with the 2008 presidential election where the only choice conservatives had was
liberal media's hand-picked candidate, even here in our own country there's not much
realistically the average American can do about national politics unless you're in a
position to write five- to seven-figure checks to politicians. For most of us D.C. is too far
away, too out of reach and touch.
Hope and change
All real change starts from the bottom up. While asking accountability questions at the
local level may lack the perceived glam of state or national politics, to have any impact
the surest path for individuals is to start small, start local and start simple.
themselves."
But that's a U.K. problem -- what about the U.S.?
While the Brits remain mired in their own centuries-old oligarchical problems, we seem
to be heading down that same road ourselves, with leaders in our representative
republic telling us to do one thing while doing something else entirely themselves.
But with the 2008 presidential election where the only choice conservatives had was
liberal media's hand-picked candidate, even here in our own country there's not much
realistically the average American can do about national politics unless you're in a
position to write five- to seven-figure checks to politicians. For most of us D.C. is too far
away, too out of reach and touch.
Hope and change
All real change starts from the bottom up. While asking accountability questions at the
local level may lack the perceived glam of state or national politics, to have any impact
the surest path for individuals is to start small, start local and start simple.
| 04.23.09: Contacted Dallas ISD PR guy Jon Dahlander re whether the district has received any receipts yet from Mrs. Groppel since last I asked. 04.24.09 UPDATE: Jon has confirmed they still have no receipts for any of the $43,217.81spent by Kathy Groppel. |
Being that he asked onstage in a musical, so long as the singing was
nice and the costumes pretty, we didn't really expect answers.
However, here in reality, we both want and need solutions to the
problems we face.
Problem is, where to start? There are so many terrible things happen-
ing in the world -- starvation, famine, child slavery, shariah law persecu-
tion of women, war, too much more -- about which other than sending
money and prayers there's not much the average American can do.
nice and the costumes pretty, we didn't really expect answers.
However, here in reality, we both want and need solutions to the
problems we face.
Problem is, where to start? There are so many terrible things happen-
ing in the world -- starvation, famine, child slavery, shariah law persecu-
tion of women, war, too much more -- about which other than sending
money and prayers there's not much the average American can do.
| Yul Brynner in "The King and I" |
After the terrible comes the
merely stupid.
Speaking of contradictions, Prince Charles
continues to persist in using private carbon-
guzzlers while traveling the world promoting his
views on so-called global warming. As the U.K.'s
Democrat Transport Spokesman Norman Baker
points out, "Prince Charles seems not to realise
that he enormously weakens his case for tackling
climate change by his own profligate and careless
habits. It is deeply unattractive to have somebody
merely stupid.
Speaking of contradictions, Prince Charles
continues to persist in using private carbon-
guzzlers while traveling the world promoting his
views on so-called global warming. As the U.K.'s
Democrat Transport Spokesman Norman Baker
points out, "Prince Charles seems not to realise
that he enormously weakens his case for tackling
climate change by his own profligate and careless
habits. It is deeply unattractive to have somebody
Which raises another question:
Based on what Frank Mullen
published Saturday in the Reno
Gazette-Journal -- that Kim
pleaded guilty to war
profiteering charges before
leaving the Army, then with-
drew her name from consi-
deration for the supe job in
Washoe, Nevada schools last
week when this got out in Reno
-- how closely is Kim being
watched these days? While
she might really and truly be
doing an A-plus bang-up job, on
the other hand, could this be
another situation where certain
members of the Dallas business
community are happy with the
status quo for reasons of their
own?
Based on what Frank Mullen
published Saturday in the Reno
Gazette-Journal -- that Kim
pleaded guilty to war
profiteering charges before
leaving the Army, then with-
drew her name from consi-
deration for the supe job in
Washoe, Nevada schools last
week when this got out in Reno
-- how closely is Kim being
watched these days? While
she might really and truly be
doing an A-plus bang-up job, on
the other hand, could this be
another situation where certain
members of the Dallas business
community are happy with the
status quo for reasons of their
own?
DALLAS ISD (TX)
DISD Kim Olson
Watch: Day #1
By Peyton Wolcott
Tue., Apr. 28, 2009 / 12:07 am
DISD Kim Olson
Watch: Day #1
By Peyton Wolcott
Tue., Apr. 28, 2009 / 12:07 am
| The rest of the math problem preview is here. |
| PREDICTION: The Washoe board's visit to Chino will be a love fest, with folks there falling all over themselves telling the trustees how very wonderful Edmond is, how truly sad they are to see him go. |
Now that the word is out
that Dallas ISD's chief HR exec
wants to leave, how much
longer will Kim Olson be
employed at Dallas ISD?
that Dallas ISD's chief HR exec
wants to leave, how much
longer will Kim Olson be
employed at Dallas ISD?
| 04.27.09/11 am Washoe (NV) UPDATE: Former Ysleta / Arlington ISD supe & AVID speaker Hector Montenegro's not Washoe County schools' (Reno, Nevada) top pick; instead, trustees will visit Chino, CA supe/Broad grad Edmond Heatley's home turf. |
| Edmond Heatley |
| PORTAGE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS (IN) Your kind of trustee and mine, someone willing to ask out loud about a school exec's $78 NSBA convention meal for himself--at a board meeting By Peyton Wolcott Wed., Apr. 29, 2009/12:24 am |
| Portage Township Schools trustees; Cheryl Oprisko is seated at far right |
| Kim Olson (L); Hector Montenegro |
| Mike Berta |
Into a climate such as this
sometimes comes a Cheryl
Oprisko:
sometimes comes a Cheryl
Oprisko:
| Portage Township School Board member Cheryl Oprisko sided against her colleagues Monday night on a pair of votes to spend money after getting answers she didn't like. Oprisko was the only "no" vote on the board's routine approval of claims and the hiring of an independent energy consultant on an open-ended contract that paid $90 an hour. She questioned a dinner bill for $78.25 submitted by Director of Personnel Tom Taylor from a National School Boards Ass'n meeting in San Diego earlier this month. "I believe that's too much," Oprisko said, citing a newspaper report of remarks by Director of Finance Sharon Qualkenbush, who was not present, that a previous meal bill for a lesser amount from another conference "would never make it through." Taylor explained that he had gone to the restaurant at the invitation of an acquaintance and would not withdraw the claim. "I didn't order the most expensive item on the menu, and I didn't order the least expensive one. I will not pay that back," he said. "I thought about my neighbors who had been laid off," she replied. |
I've contacted both Mike Berta
and Tom Taylor for their
insights regarding not just the
NSBA meal but also the
propriety of the trip itself for a
junior exec, plus district
guidelines re professional
development.
and Tom Taylor for their
insights regarding not just the
NSBA meal but also the
propriety of the trip itself for a
junior exec, plus district
guidelines re professional
development.
MIDLAND ISD (TX)
Asking questions at Midland ISD:
(1) Trainings: appropriate teacher/student
relations
(2) Earmarked pork: fuzzy math
By Peyton Wolcott
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 / 8:47 a.m. - Updated Friday, May 1, 2009/12:05 a.m.
Asking questions at Midland ISD:
(1) Trainings: appropriate teacher/student
relations
(2) Earmarked pork: fuzzy math
By Peyton Wolcott
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 / 8:47 a.m. - Updated Friday, May 1, 2009/12:05 a.m.
More than the teacher/student/sex cases, there's
also the fuzzy math earmark by a conservative
U.S. Congressman to his home school district.
No, it wasn't just 23-year old geography teacher/cheerleading
coach Kenzi Friday's Friday arrest -- you can't make this stuff up,
folks -- unfortunately for something preventable, improper
relations with a 17-year old student, preventable because it
apparently started with Kenzi's having lunch in her classroom
with students including the 17-year old.
also the fuzzy math earmark by a conservative
U.S. Congressman to his home school district.
No, it wasn't just 23-year old geography teacher/cheerleading
coach Kenzi Friday's Friday arrest -- you can't make this stuff up,
folks -- unfortunately for something preventable, improper
relations with a 17-year old student, preventable because it
apparently started with Kenzi's having lunch in her classroom
with students including the 17-year old.
Why this is a good time to ask questions of our friends at
Midland ISD in West Texas -- why now:
Midland ISD in West Texas -- why now:
Before Kenzi, it was Midland ISD police officer
Angel Ramirez who was charged in February
"with two second-degree felonies — one of
sexual assault of a child and one of improper
student/teacher relationship."
And before Angel, it was teacher David Van
Houten who was arrested in 2007 for having
sex with a young girl in a classroom.
Angel Ramirez who was charged in February
"with two second-degree felonies — one of
sexual assault of a child and one of improper
student/teacher relationship."
And before Angel, it was teacher David Van
Houten who was arrested in 2007 for having
sex with a young girl in a classroom.
| Angel Ramirez; David Van Houten |
Although Midland ISD's
Lee High's head football
coach Randy Quisenberry's
abrupt departure earlier this
month cannot be called
another teacher/sex case,
we do know that "abuse of
students" -- whatever
Lee High's head football
coach Randy Quisenberry's
abrupt departure earlier this
month cannot be called
another teacher/sex case,
we do know that "abuse of
students" -- whatever
territory that might cover -- was a factor.
| Randy Quisenberry |
All four of the situations described above -- in just two years --
lead us to ask the following questions of Midland ISD:
(1) What trainings have teachers and employees
at Midland ISD received regarding appropriate
relations with students? Also, MISD executives
have attended a large number of professional
development events including education
conferences since 2007; what might be some
examples of trainings mentioning or emphasizing
appropriate teacher/student relations?
Our second question has to do with some earmarked pork my
own U.S. Congressman, Mike Conaway of Midland, has asked
lead us to ask the following questions of Midland ISD:
(1) What trainings have teachers and employees
at Midland ISD received regarding appropriate
relations with students? Also, MISD executives
have attended a large number of professional
development events including education
conferences since 2007; what might be some
examples of trainings mentioning or emphasizing
appropriate teacher/student relations?
Our second question has to do with some earmarked pork my
own U.S. Congressman, Mike Conaway of Midland, has asked
| Craig Lazzeretti |
| Syl and Ed, I'm hoping you can help me with some questions regarding your $95,000 gift from federal taxpayers for a fuzzy math teacher training iniative from vendor Texas MathWorks, arranged for Midland ISD by U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway: 1) Did you receive a copy of the curriculum that will be taught to these teachers in their morning camps? Was the curriculum reviewed by college mathematicians to see if that material is going to help students learn mathematics in the internationally based tradition? That is, what algorithms are going to be stressed with the students-- the traditional methods used throughout the globe as the primary lessons, with some "inventive" ones allowed for "creative thinking," or the other way around? How much will these students be allowed to use calculators and at what grade levels? Along these lines, are you aware that New Jersey is passing new math standards to prevent the use of calculators in elementary grades? 2) Will teachers learn about math content, for example, or simply about pedagogy? Many of our non-high school trained teachers are weak in knowledge of mathematics concepts and principles, with limited understanding of the linear progression of topics that is required specifically in mathematics. They also have limited knowledge of vertical alignment of math topics from grade level to grade level. That is because school districts generally do not maintain a detailed scope and sequence of materials within each grade level and then across the grades. 3) What is the quantitative success rate of students who have been taught with this program as shown on a variety of assessments? How many have gone on to take more advanced math and science classes, which could even be called a qualitative assessment? 4) This particular sentence appears to be is reform/progressive rhetoric: "especially targeting women and students from underserved backgrounds who traditionally have not had as many opportunities in math and science." What proof has the vendor provided to you regarding this statement? Are you saying that someone in the district deliberately planned for girls and minorities NOT to have equal treatment? Or that because "traditional" mathematics has been accused of being "white boys' math," that this is why girls and minorities have been denied "opportunities"? The "white boys' math" did not deny anyone any opportunity. Math is math. It's the same as saying that no one should have to learn the principles of music--reading notes, practicing scales, etc.--and that everyone should learn to play instruments by ear. Teachers may present the math material in a more interesting way, but you do not change its internal structure, which is what reform math has done. 5) Have the parents of these students been fully informed of this pilot program, with its success data clearly specified? (See No. 3 above.) Have the parents signed a statement to that effect? Thank you for your assistance. This is not a request under the Texas Public Information Act; as my superintendent friends have told me that they prefer friendly questions rather than the more formal TPIA request, please consider these friendly questions. That said, the money you're receiving for FY 2009 alone, $95,000, is a great deal of money. |
all federal taxpayers to pay for. Hard to imagine why this is necessary, so last week I
asked Mike to share with us how he could justify $95,000 during FY 2009, quadruple that
amount for next year. Something costing federal taxpayers almost a half-million dollars in
just two years surely has some pretty strong quantitative data behind it. I have also sent
the following to Midland ISD's top executives, superintendent Syl Perez and assistant
superintendent for administration and operations Ed Zachary:
(2) Regarding the fuzzy math earmarked pork Congressman Mike
Conaway & Midland ISD asked all American federal taxpayers to fund:
asked Mike to share with us how he could justify $95,000 during FY 2009, quadruple that
amount for next year. Something costing federal taxpayers almost a half-million dollars in
just two years surely has some pretty strong quantitative data behind it. I have also sent
the following to Midland ISD's top executives, superintendent Syl Perez and assistant
superintendent for administration and operations Ed Zachary:
(2) Regarding the fuzzy math earmarked pork Congressman Mike
Conaway & Midland ISD asked all American federal taxpayers to fund:
Dear readers, please check back for updates as they are received from MISD and Rep.
Conaway. Meanwhile, here are two items indicating that clearly, Midland ISD appears to
be fortunate to have an administrator of Syl Perez's recognized expertise at the helm:
Conaway. Meanwhile, here are two items indicating that clearly, Midland ISD appears to
be fortunate to have an administrator of Syl Perez's recognized expertise at the helm:
| Last 2 Washoe Schools supe candidates standing: Hector Montengro (L), Lawrence Fryer |
What we've seen unfold in
Reno, Nevada's Washoe
County schools this past
week makes a strong case
for two things:
Reno, Nevada's Washoe
County schools this past
week makes a strong case
for two things:
Meanwhile, although it's been
published that former finalist
Edmond Heatley's leaving
Chino not for Reno but for
Georgia, although as of today
no one knows where in
Georgia.
published that former finalist
Edmond Heatley's leaving
Chino not for Reno but for
Georgia, although as of today
no one knows where in
Georgia.
| FROM THE TEXAS ASS'N OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRA- TORS: "Thanks To Our 2005–06 Mentor Superinten- dents who have completed TASA mentor training .... Sylvester Perez |
| TASB/TASA Convention (Sept, 29, 2007) Friday Night Lights: Dealing with UIL Complaints and Investigations D171; Sylvester Perez, Superintendent, Midland ISD; Toni Thompson, Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, San Antonio ISD; and Juan J. Cruz, Attorney, Escamilla & Poneck, Inc. Often rumors arise regarding violation of UIL rules when the football or baseball teams have a winning season. In this session, board members and administrators receive information regarding UIL violations; conducting proper investigations; dealing with the district and state executive UIL committees; filling out UIL forms, such as the Previous Athletic Participation Form; and being proactive to avoid UIL sanctions. In addition, the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 21 termination procedures, and SBEC complaints as they relate to UIL complaints are discussed. (SBEC #4) |
| PHOTO CREDIT: MikeConaway - HoustonChronicle |
LIBERTY SCHOOLS (MO)
Missouri gets
tough on double-
dipper supes
By Peyton Wolcott
Fri., May 1, 2009/5:05 pm
Missouri gets
tough on double-
dipper supes
By Peyton Wolcott
Fri., May 1, 2009/5:05 pm
| Scott Taveau |
Developing . . . |