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- ABC debuts "Homeland Security USA"
- Library Closings: They Have Never Really Been About The Budget Crisis
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An example of how reform works
Submitted by Keith Newman on Sat, 05/05/2007 - 7:09pm.
Dwight Evans has received $65K from the Educational Management Organizations (EMOs) and he continues to support them despite the research which demonstrates they do not warrant extra funding. This is called pay to play and has cost our schools $108 million over five years. The result: we now have a $73 million deficit. Elimnating pay to play would enable the school district would to have a $35 million surplus. This is why reform matters. Why doesn't Fattah understand this? This is how Michael Nutter can introduce efficeincy to spend money wisely. Now watch Fattah try and steal this and call it his idea.
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Evans Motivated By Zeal for Education, Not Campaign Contribution
Having worked Dwight Evans for over 25 years, I know that his zeal for education and new educational ideas is what motivates him and not campaign contributions. The $65,000 referred to is only about 2% of his total campaign budget, assuming that figure is accurate.
There are all sorts of studies, and they "prove" all sorts of things. What proves what is often in the eye of the beholder. This would certainly be a good time to link to the studies referred to above. Whatever facts they contain are the real issue, and not a tiny percentage of Dwight Evans' campaign contributions.
As long as we have the School Reform Commission,it is the Governor who makes the School Governing Board Appointments, and not the Mayor. None of the people on the School Reform Commission are now, or have ever been, close to Evans, and he should not be blamed for their actions.
The Governor makes 3
The Governor makes 3 appointments and the mayor makes 2.
I also am motivated by my zeal for education. I also believe children should not be discriminated against. Why should the child in a for profit or EMO school receive additional funding above what the children in the school I teach in recieve? YOU know my kids have urgent and unmet needs.
Why are EMOs allowed to take taxpayers dollars and use them to fund candidates campaigns and not spend them on the needs of children?
The studies I refer to have been all over the Philly papers. Research for action, The Rand Report, The School Reform Commissions own accountability review and my own research uncoverd a Princeton graduate students yet unpublished report.
By the way, Foundations, an EMO, is very close to Evans.
Governor Schweiker Gave Mayor Street Two Appointments
Governor Mark Schweiker gave Mayor Street two appointments to get him not to actively oppose the takeover the School Reform Commission represents. The Governor makes all five appointments under the act. It is established in law, and will be very hard to get rid of. Governor Rendell has not given Mayor Street the right to make any appointments as vacancies have occurred.
The fact is that Evans made no appointments to the School Reform Commission, and is not responsible for the actions of the School Reform Commission.
That he is a supporter of the Foundations EMO is irrelevant to your accusations against him. If you have any evidence that any EMO is giving taxpayers money to any candidate, give that evidence to the District Attorney's office. But it is not illegal or unethical for anyone employed anywhere to give personal money--including earned income from an employer--to a candidate.
If I recall correctly, and
If I recall correctly, and I'm pretty sure I do, Mayor Street appointed Martin Bednarek when Mike Masch went to Harrisburg. The Governor made the next appointment when Whalen, a Schweiker appointee came to the end of his term.
You want me to give the D.A. evidence of EMOs giving the candidates money? I'll fax the news article to your office in the morning. It shows Evans getting $65K. Edison is well known for its contributions to politicians.
I applaud Mr. Evans zeal for education. His idea has not provided a benefit to our students or taxpayers. Let's not replace one insane policy with another. Insane being doing the same thing...... and expecting different results.
We know what works. Smaller classes, counseling, targeted interventions. We can implement them without EMOs. In the meantime our children sit in 80 degree weather in rooms with windows which won't open. Last week students were removed from an unsafe school, but Edison gets paid for students they don't teach.
Por Favor
Keith, could you do me a favor and post the link to the Notebook article that references this particular point that you keep referring to? I looked through the Fall 2006 archived edition as you suggested and I cannot seem to find it. Thanks bud.
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I support, but do not work or volunteer for Dwight Evans
link as per request
http://www.thenotebook.org/editions/2006/fall/renew.htm
Misrepresentation
Read carefully Keith: There is a BIG difference between EMO's giving money to campaigns and officials of EMO's giving to campaigns from their own salaries(which is what the chart was in this article). You have been implying pay-to-play politics, tax-dollar misappropriation, and federal tax fraud by trying to implicate a dignified and concerned public servant and an effective, concerned nonprofit on an ethical decision. This is called "libel". There is NOTHING unethical about this. Should union members not give money to Brady? Should small business owners not give to Nutter? You really need to give it a rest. You do nothing to further your candidate's good name by slinging dirt and empty implications.
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I support, but do not work or volunteer for Dwight Evans