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| Conservative Commentary - TAS / MUS SCRAPBOOK - PAGE 1 |
| Vendors and supes socializing in luxury away from taxpayer eyes By Peyton Wolcott Updated Friday, July 17, 2009 / 12:07 a.m. |
| conference rooms -- it was a golf game on a course described as having "breathtaking" scenery along with "cascading water features" and "challenging golf" by such publications as Texas Golfer at a resort described as "exclusive" by Yahoo Travel and "a hidden world" and "the ideal place for mixing business with pleasure" by World Golf. |
| Texas Association of Suburban/Mid- Urban Schools The Texas Association of Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools (TAS/MUS) is an organization that serves as a net- work for superin- tendents of suburban and mid-urban school districts. TAS/MUS hosts a Fall and Spring Conference each year, held in November and April respectively, that feature prominent speakers. Authentic conversation regarding actual problems Participants find a valuable aspect of these conferences is the time for superin- tendents to engage in authentic conversation regarding actual problems and challenges on topics of importance to superintendents. TASA provides administrative and operational support to TAS/MUS. For additional information on conference registration or membership, please contact Paul Whitton, 800-725-8272. The officers and directors of TAS/MUS believe it is mutually beneficial to develop corporate partnerships. TAS/MUS members want and need to keep abreast of the current education marketplace. TAS/MUS values corporate sponsor- ships as they enhance the quality of our programs and provide important information. (SOURCE--TASA) |
| Curious about TAS/MUS? By Peyton Wolcott Sat., Apr. 21, 2007 So was I. As TAS/MUS does not appear to have its own dedicated web-site, here's a description of this weekend's "Spring Conference" appearing on the Texas Ass'n of School Admini- strators (TASA) website: |
| The fellow in the black shirt (R and below) said he's "with ESC 20"; his friend in the striped shirt next to him said he's "with Valley Financial Advisors." Wonder if Valley Financial Advisors does any business with Regional Education Service Center 20 in San Antonio--and why VFA isn't registered with the Texas Comptroller in order to do business in Texas. Below, a helping hand. Inset, Linebarger Goggan, Blair & Sampson vendor/lawyer. |
| The photos above of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Crass raise an interesting question: When is a vendor a wife and vice versa? Rhonda Crass is managing partner of Henslee Fowler's Fort Worth office; according to the firm's website, Henslee, Fowler, Hepworth & Schwartz, LLP has offices in several other Texas cities including Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Tyler. Also, Mrs. Crass's posted firm bio states that her primary practice area is "school law." Her husband Ray Crass was superintendent of Mineral Wells ISD from 1997 until his resignation shortly after this photograph was published here in April 2007. I contacted Ray to find out more about his time management skills, and how he came to be at Tapatio Springs rather than back in Mineral Wells with his students and his teachers, but to date have still received no response. |
| NOTE: The question will arise from the superintendents, administrators, spouses and vendors depicted, "Should these photos be published?" Yes, for several reasons. Were this a private activity funded entirely by the superintendents out of their own pockets and occurring only on a Saturday/Sunday weekend, I would not have been anywhere near the Tapatio Springs golf course one fine photogenic day in April 2007. However, this three-day, Friday/Saturday/ Sunday golf tournament is funded by Texas taxpayers in multiple ways, not the least of which is the superintendents' Friday salaries, plus there are fees and other costs such as travel associated with their attendance. And of course, the larger issue are the deals made at such conferences away from watchful parent and taxpayer eyes. Further, the Friday in question was the final day of Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) testing week, one of the most important weeks during all of the Texas academic year. More thoughts regarding the ramifications of superintendents' attending vendor-driven events here. |
| WHILE THE SUPE WAS RELAXING ON THE GOLF COURSE WITH A VENDOR, HIS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WERE BACK HOME TAKING THEIR TAKS TESTS Here's the Cypress- Fairbanks ISD Testing Schedule the same day supe David Anthony was at Tapatio Springs Resort playing golf at TAS/MUS: TAKS Social Studies - Grades 8, 10, 11 Exit TAKS-I Social Studies – Grades 8, 10, 11 Exit TAKS Exit Retest Social Studies |
| A SAMPLING OF BASIC TEXAS EDU- CONFERENCES: Jan. - TASA MidWinter (Austin) Feb. - AASA (out of state) Feb./Mar. - TASBO (rotates, in-state) April - NASB (out of state) April - TAS/MUS (Boerne) June - TASBO (Corpus Christi) June - TASA Summer Conference (Austin) July - TASB SLI (San Antonio) Oct. - TASA/TASB (Houston and Dallas, alternate years) November - TAS/MUS |
| Gulf Coast Area Ass'n of School Boards Fast Growth School Coalition Texas Association of Midsized Schools Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Texas Rural Education Association Texas Association of Rural Schools Texas Association of Midsized Schools Texas School Coalition Texas Association of Community Schools South Texas Association of Schools Equity Center Texas Coalition for Public Schools |
| More about conferences It's not uncommon for me to receive emails and phone calls along the lines of: "My child's principal is always gone!" and "Our superintendent is never at school--he's off at yet another conference!" This first listing shows the basic conferences your top administrators probably attend: |
| In addition to the above conferences, there are specialty conferences for all levels of adminis- trators including, for example, principals and CFO's, such as: |
| A modest personal observation: It seems education was better off before the formation of so many new organizations starting mostly in the l960's, back when superintendents and administrators stayed home and did their jobs. |
| Mineral Wells ISD TAKS Testing Schedule the same day supe Ray Crass was here at Tapatio Springs Resort playing golf: TAKS Social Studies - Grades 8, 10, 11 Exit TAKS-I Social Studies – Grades 8, 10, 11 Exit TAKS Exit Retest Social Studies |
| Wondering ...Why TASA is being so coy about TAS/MUS? ... Why are no officers with their contact inform- ation listed any- where on TASA's website? ... Why on the weekend of the TAS/MUS confer- ence is it not listed along with these other "Active Confer-ences/Semi nars": o UT/TASA Summer Conference on Education o TCWSE Summer Conference Budget Boot Camp for Superintendents o 2007 Texas Assessment Conference Program Application |
| ELSEWHERE: Newsday (Long Island, New York) reported in December 2007 that water district commissioners had played golf with vendors on a paid work day. More here. |
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 .
HOME
| TAS/MUS (the Texas Ass'n of Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools) is one of many taxpayer-funded shadow education entities which enable vendors to socialize with top education executives away from the inquisitive eyes of the taxpayers funding the conferences; to my knowledge no journalist has been allowed to sit in on closed-door TAS/MUS meetings. |
A 'hidden world'
Two years ago on a Friday afternoon in April superintendents
and vendors socialized at Tapatio Springs Resort in the Texas
Hill Country near San Antonio during a three-day TAS/MUS
Two years ago on a Friday afternoon in April superintendents
and vendors socialized at Tapatio Springs Resort in the Texas
Hill Country near San Antonio during a three-day TAS/MUS
(Texas Association of
Suburban/Mid-Urban
Schools) conference, one
set up twice each year to
offer many opportunities for
casual social interac-
tions between sellers and
buyers--most pre-arranged,
as with this golf outing at
right in which AIG VP Ken
Coffey got to ride around in
a golf cart for three hours
with David Anthony,
superintendent of
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in
suburban Houston, one of
Texas' largest school
districts.
Suburban/Mid-Urban
Schools) conference, one
set up twice each year to
offer many opportunities for
casual social interac-
tions between sellers and
buyers--most pre-arranged,
as with this golf outing at
right in which AIG VP Ken
Coffey got to ride around in
a golf cart for three hours
with David Anthony,
superintendent of
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in
suburban Houston, one of
Texas' largest school
districts.
| Cypress-Fairbanks ISD supe David Anthony (center and inset) at a Tapatio Springs bar cart hostessed by Lynn (L) with vendor Ken Coffey (R) (AIG vice president/Institutional Markets). Golf cart assignments were predetermined as indicated by sign with 12:00 tee time (far left). |
| Then-Mineral Wells ISD supe Ray Crass (R) golfing at TAS/MUS in Boerne with his wife, Rhonda Crass (L), an MWISD vendor. |
The day's weather was perfect for any activity indoor or out, and on the Texas Association of Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools
(TAS/MUS) conference agenda -- instead of meetings in stuffy no-windows
(TAS/MUS) conference agenda -- instead of meetings in stuffy no-windows
| Above, Rhonda and Ray Crass; below right, Rhonda's official Henslee Fowler portrait. |
Thus is was that on a
picture-perfect 75-degree
blue-sky day, far away from
their students and teachers
toiling over their Texas
Assessment of Knowledge
and Skills (TAKS) tests --
leaving someone else in their
absence to attend to multiple
clean-up details such as
ensuring that all
TAKS-associated security
details have been followed to
the letter in order to protect
the integrity of the process --
Texas superintendents along
with some wives and
administrators and a gaggle
of vendor-sponsors slaved
away under a gentle sun
Friday chasing not perfect
TAKS scores but a little white
golf ball.
This raises several
questions
First, I'd like more information
from participating supes
regarding their time-
management skills as I
frankly could use some
pointers. How they can be
away from their districts
during such a crucial week
indicates they likely have
everything under such control
that their actual physical
presence in their districts is
not necessary.
My next question, and likely
they've got a reasonable
explanation, is this: "If you
can be absent from your
district for an entire day
during such a critical week,
are your services really
necessary the rest of the
year?" Likely here too they've
got a really logical well-
thought out explanation.
Again, this would fall under
the category of time
management skills and I for
one would earnestly like to
know more.
Follow up
When I encountered one of
the supes photographed on
this page at another
education conference, the
2008 TASA MidWinter --
accompanied by a bevy of
district vendors -- he asked if
his picture was still on my
website, and indicated that it
was none of anyone's
business what he did on his
off time.
When I reminded him it was a
school day for which he was
receiving a salary, he had no
response.
Oops.
picture-perfect 75-degree
blue-sky day, far away from
their students and teachers
toiling over their Texas
Assessment of Knowledge
and Skills (TAKS) tests --
leaving someone else in their
absence to attend to multiple
clean-up details such as
ensuring that all
TAKS-associated security
details have been followed to
the letter in order to protect
the integrity of the process --
Texas superintendents along
with some wives and
administrators and a gaggle
of vendor-sponsors slaved
away under a gentle sun
Friday chasing not perfect
TAKS scores but a little white
golf ball.
This raises several
questions
First, I'd like more information
from participating supes
regarding their time-
management skills as I
frankly could use some
pointers. How they can be
away from their districts
during such a crucial week
indicates they likely have
everything under such control
that their actual physical
presence in their districts is
not necessary.
My next question, and likely
they've got a reasonable
explanation, is this: "If you
can be absent from your
district for an entire day
during such a critical week,
are your services really
necessary the rest of the
year?" Likely here too they've
got a really logical well-
thought out explanation.
Again, this would fall under
the category of time
management skills and I for
one would earnestly like to
know more.
Follow up
When I encountered one of
the supes photographed on
this page at another
education conference, the
2008 TASA MidWinter --
accompanied by a bevy of
district vendors -- he asked if
his picture was still on my
website, and indicated that it
was none of anyone's
business what he did on his
off time.
When I reminded him it was a
school day for which he was
receiving a salary, he had no
response.
Oops.
More about
Ken Coffey's
generous ways
with clients and
prospects--who
happen to be
public school
decision
makers
Five years ago,
then-Houston ISD
board president
Karla Cisneros
accepted four
Astros tickets worth
$154 from Ken
Coffey, AIG VALIC's
regional sales
director. Cisneros
said Coffey offered
her the tickets
because he couldn't
use them. She said
she didn't know until
after the game that
HISD does
business with the
company. "It didn't
affect any of my
decisions," she
said." (SOURCE--The
Houston Chronicle)
Ken Coffey's
generous ways
with clients and
prospects--who
happen to be
public school
decision
makers
Five years ago,
then-Houston ISD
board president
Karla Cisneros
accepted four
Astros tickets worth
$154 from Ken
Coffey, AIG VALIC's
regional sales
director. Cisneros
said Coffey offered
her the tickets
because he couldn't
use them. She said
she didn't know until
after the game that
HISD does
business with the
company. "It didn't
affect any of my
decisions," she
said." (SOURCE--The
Houston Chronicle)