Query: How much of the districts contracts represent kickbacks? Which board members have relatives that are school bus drivers?
http://www.nj1015.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=10378&z=1
Millennium Radio News reported exclusively yesterday on an audit of the Union City School District done by KPMG and paid for the State Department of Education.
(1) The audit revealed that school bus drivers in the district are paid six hours of overtime per month just to charge their cell phones. In a written response to the findings in the audit, Union City School District Superintendent Stanley Sanger says of the overtime for charging the cell phones, "This item was part of a Contracted Collective Bargaining Agreement. It is a priority item to be negotiated out of the collective bargaining agreement for September 2008."
(2) The district spent just under $73,000 for cable television spots to advertise the district and $55,000 for a PR company to prepare a monthly superintendent's newsletter. (Can you say kickback?)
(3) Another $50,000 was spent for brochures and posters to promote the superintendent's agenda. (Can you say kickback?)
(4) Another $148,000 was spent on website development. (Can you say kickback?)
(5) One school bus driver in the 04-05 school year earned $61,456 in overtime. Another bus driver in the 05-06 school year earned $51,725 in overtime. Another driver in the 05-06 school year, Got $73,000 in overtime. (Query: How many school bus drivers are related to board members?)
(5) The audit report says $150,000 is paid for an annual lease of the Ronald Dario Swimming Complex, which was used only part-time in year 05-06; and $100,000 for 04-05, again for part-time use. Sanger responds, "Facilities are used for middle and high school swim teams, alternative and special education students, after school and summer programs, which enhances physical wellness for our students."
The Union City School District stands to receive a 16% increase in State aid under Governor Jon Corzine's new school funding formula this year for a total of roughly $150 million. That 16% translates into roughly $20 million extra dollars.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Obama's Education Plans and New Jersey
Given my experiences living in New Jersey, Barack Obama's comments really tick me off.
"I'm talking about the larger American community, to acknowledge that we've never even come close to providing equal opportunity to the majority of black children. Real opportunity would mean quality prenatal care for all women and well-funded and innovative public schools for all children. "
Let me give Barack a piece of my mind here. Listen to this Barack:
For the first four years of my schooling, I went to school with a lot of black children. So I have four more years of going to school with black children and studying black history than you do. Was I disadvantaged because of this? Not in the least. You went to some fancy private school for wealthy white kids and now you look down your nose at the rest of us.
Why is it that white or Asian children can do fine in the schools that you call inferior? In New Jersey, in Demographic Group A (the poorest schools), 22.1% of Asian 8th graders and 15.1% of white 8th graders are advanced proficient in Math while only 2.5% of black 8th graders are in that category? How do you explain that, Sen. Obama? In Demographic Group J (the wealthiest group), only 18.4% of black 8th graders are advanced proficient in Math. With Asians, its almost 71%.
Another thing. I live in New Jersey and let me tell you that nothing pisses me off more than someone telling me we need to spend more on poor children's education. We spend over 18K per student in Newark, NJ and what have we accomplished. Absolutely nothing! We are fed up with having our property taxes raised to support the urban school districts.
Don't tell me tests don't measure achievement. I can't look into these children's souls as you claim to be able to do. Tests are the only way I can measure performance. And the tests show that all this education spending in NJ has been an absolute waste.
So, no I do not support the same stupid educational theories that have been tried in NJ and failed for 20 years. So stop this blame whitey nonsense. And don't call me a racist when you have been listening to that quack reverend for 20 years.
"I'm talking about the larger American community, to acknowledge that we've never even come close to providing equal opportunity to the majority of black children. Real opportunity would mean quality prenatal care for all women and well-funded and innovative public schools for all children. "
Let me give Barack a piece of my mind here. Listen to this Barack:
For the first four years of my schooling, I went to school with a lot of black children. So I have four more years of going to school with black children and studying black history than you do. Was I disadvantaged because of this? Not in the least. You went to some fancy private school for wealthy white kids and now you look down your nose at the rest of us.
Why is it that white or Asian children can do fine in the schools that you call inferior? In New Jersey, in Demographic Group A (the poorest schools), 22.1% of Asian 8th graders and 15.1% of white 8th graders are advanced proficient in Math while only 2.5% of black 8th graders are in that category? How do you explain that, Sen. Obama? In Demographic Group J (the wealthiest group), only 18.4% of black 8th graders are advanced proficient in Math. With Asians, its almost 71%.
Another thing. I live in New Jersey and let me tell you that nothing pisses me off more than someone telling me we need to spend more on poor children's education. We spend over 18K per student in Newark, NJ and what have we accomplished. Absolutely nothing! We are fed up with having our property taxes raised to support the urban school districts.
Don't tell me tests don't measure achievement. I can't look into these children's souls as you claim to be able to do. Tests are the only way I can measure performance. And the tests show that all this education spending in NJ has been an absolute waste.
So, no I do not support the same stupid educational theories that have been tried in NJ and failed for 20 years. So stop this blame whitey nonsense. And don't call me a racist when you have been listening to that quack reverend for 20 years.
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