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Started By
Message
re: The latest from the EBRPSS fiasco-school board meeting last night
Posted on 3/21/14 at 10:24 am to LSURussian
Posted on 3/21/14 at 10:24 am to LSURussian
quote:
It sounds to me the board is approaching it the correct way. If they used the school system's own employees to review the audit's claims, no one would have trusted their results. You St Georgeistas would have been (correctly) saying it was going to be a cover up if the same people who made the screw ups were going to be the ones reviewing the screw ups.
I agree, the School Board should do their own review, and if the supt. doesn't trust his own people then he should go outside of his system and get a CPA firm involved.
Meanwhile, however; how hard would it be for the supt. to investigate for himself the records of the students who supposedly graduated that didn't have the proper grades/credits? Wouldn't that allow him to get a quick answer as to the legitimacy of the bigger charges? Wouldn't that let him know whether or not he had some rotten apples in his system?
It would not give him all the information that he needs, but it wouldn't be hard to determine if the audit has merit, or it was completely bogus, right?
quote:
No surprise there. By my count this is the second time the SG organizers have gone MIA from a meeting where they could have voiced their concerns and scored points for their "cause." What are they scared of? What are they hiding? WHY are they hiding?!?
So once again SG is hiding, or not doing their civic duty so we are to assume now that they are a bogus entity and should go away????
They voiced their concerns in the newspaper. Maybe they didn't feel like voicing their concerns in front of a kangaroo court, or in front of a body who is part of the problem? Ask them, but their failure to show has nothing to do with the problems at hand but I'm sure you'll try to spin it that way.
quote:
And to Poodle who asked how long will the board take to answer the state's audit, the school board is required to report its corrective action plan to the state by April 4. That has been reported numerous times. I guess tax season has you too busy to keep up with the facts
We shall see if the school system meets that deadline. If they can't we know who will be to blame, right?
2
Posted on 3/21/14 at 10:30 am to doubleb
quote:
Meanwhile, however; how hard would it be for the supt. to investigate for himself the records of the students who supposedly graduated that didn't have the proper grades/credits? Wouldn't that allow him to get a quick answer as to the legitimacy of the bigger charges? Wouldn't that let him know whether or not he had some rotten apples in his system?
I think it is pretty clear there as a student who graduated without having enough of the credits. I don't think that is in dispute.
It's all these other file irregularities that need further investigation.
Honestly, my best guess it that this is a personnel issue at a few badly run schools. They should use the results of these audits to make whatever changes are necessary in staffing to make the system work.
What they will probably do is add an extra level of review at the central office. Not a bad idea, but I hate adding extra levels of bureaucracy in response to employees not doing their job.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 10:45 am to LSURussian
quote:What exactly does Mr. Rutledge mean? I interpret his comment to mean that the corrective action plan produced for the state can not possibly address the problems since the EBRPSB does not acknowledge the problems identified in the audit report actually occurred or persist. So the corrective action plan must be produced, but it isn't likely to be executed.
Soon after the state audit was released, Taylor laid out the basics of a required corrective action plan, due to the state by April 4, which would establish audit teams, mandate training for school administrators and create an internal system to track students who exit the school system. That plan is not yet done.
“We’re in uncharted waters here,” general counsel Domoine Rutledge said.
Rutledge said staff members have begun reaching out to groups that might be able to conduct an audit and are trying to determine all that it should entail.
“Before you can implement a corrective action plan, you have to understand what you’re correcting,” Rutledge said.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 10:54 am to BigJim
Jim, if it's obvious that kids graduated and received diplomas when they shouldn't have; wouldn't you think the guy in charge would be outraged?
Wouldn't you like to see heads roll if someone was caught falsifying scores/credits?
We aren't seeing that, instead we see leaders in and outside of the system making excuses for the problem. Sure we want people to get to the bottom of the charges, but we also want them to get rid of wrongdoers immediately.
Wouldn't you like to see heads roll if someone was caught falsifying scores/credits?
We aren't seeing that, instead we see leaders in and outside of the system making excuses for the problem. Sure we want people to get to the bottom of the charges, but we also want them to get rid of wrongdoers immediately.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 10:58 am to sec13rowBBseat28
quote:
quote: Seeking to restore public trust after allegations made in a recent state audit of its graduation records, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted unanimously Thursday to direct Superintendent Bernard Taylor to find an outside group to conduct yet another, more extensive audit.
Should we expect another audit if this one doesn't meet the board'is expectations of full exoneration?
Posted on 3/21/14 at 11:02 am to LSURussian
quote:
Board President David Tatman said the review needs to be done by outsiders in order to clear the stain left upon school system employees.
I'm looking forward to finding out who the outside auditors will be. I think that could be a clear indicator of the sincerity of the school board's intentions to get to the truth of the matter.
If they select a prominent firm with a reputation to uphold, then we should find out whether the problem is minor, or whether it's the school board or the Dept. of Education that is up to no good.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 11:02 am to doubleb
quote:
Wouldn't you like to see heads roll if someone was caught falsifying scores/credits?
Absolutely. That's pretty much what I said. This is most likely a staffing issue and that needs to get fixed.
quote:
We aren't seeing that, instead we see leaders in and outside of the system making excuses for the problem. Sure we want people to get to the bottom of the charges, but we also want them to get rid of wrongdoers immediately
You see some of the more outspoken leaders getting quoted in the paper because it makes for good copy. I also know there are good people on the school board and in the community who take this seriously. And in the end the action, hiring an outside firm, is more important than the words.
That said, I think Taylor has handled this wrong from a PR perspective. They clearly have problems...fix them.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 11:08 am to BigJim
quote:
That said, I think Taylor has handled this wrong from a PR perspective. They clearly have problems...fix them.
Same here
Posted on 3/21/14 at 11:34 am to doubleb
quote:If he did you wouldn't trust any results of his review no matter what he reported. Get real.
Meanwhile, however; how hard would it be for the supt. to investigate for himself the records of the students who supposedly graduated that didn't have the proper grades/credits?
ETA: Besides, what if the discrepancies occurred with the superintendent's blessing and/or knowledge. Would you still think he should do the review himself???
It's apparent you've never had any experience in auditing any records or work performed by other people.
I have. Rule #1 is to never allow someone to audit their own work or any work they are responsible for.
This post was edited on 3/21/14 at 11:47 am
Posted on 3/21/14 at 11:42 am to Poodlebrain
quote:Why are you so against a proper review by an outside entity?
I interpret his comment to mean that the corrective action plan produced for the state can not possibly address the problems since the EBRPSB does not acknowledge the problems identified in the audit report actually occurred or persist.
You are openly antagonistic to whatever the school board does which runs against your accounting background.
quote:
“Before you can implement a corrective action plan, you have to understand what you’re correcting,” Rutledge said.
The guy obviously said they have to identify where the problems were occurring and why before they could correct the process. You of all people should know that.
I hope the board uses a reputable entity, such as SSA or Postlewaite and Netterville or Deloitte et al, to do the review. It should be a firm with a reputation to protect far beyond whatever work they do for the school board.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 11:44 am to doubleb
Missed opportunity on Taylor's part. He could have grabbed the bull by the horns early on when the allegations first surfaced. He could have simply said something along the lines of "I don't know what the hell is going on right now, but you can bet your arse that I'm going to get to the bottom of this. If there are any signs of any wrong doing, I'm bringing in an outside source to launch an investigation. We take these allegations very serious and they will NEVER be tolerated in a system that I oversee."
Instead, he did the exact opposite and started pointing fingers and getting defensive. He reacted this way because he is probably involved and is a poor leader.
Instead, he did the exact opposite and started pointing fingers and getting defensive. He reacted this way because he is probably involved and is a poor leader.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 12:25 pm to LSURussian
quote:What was improper about the audit that raised these issues? Please explain what objections there are to how the audit was conducted that cause you to question the conclusions reached by the auditors. What happens when if a different conclusion is reached by the auditors selected by the EBRPSB? Do we go best two out of three?
Why are you so against a proper review by an outside entity?
Posted on 3/21/14 at 12:29 pm to sec13rowBBseat28
quote:
“It’s inherent upon us as community members to say that we feel that these acquisitions, acquisitions, acquisitions, and I’ll say that another time, acquisitions, have not been proven to be true,” state Rep. Pat Smith, D-Baton Rouge, said of the state audit.
Fixed.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 12:41 pm to Poodlebrain
quote:I never said the state's review was improper. Please point out where I said it was. You can't do it because it didn't happen.
What was improper about the audit that raised these issues?
But it was a very limited sample, 5% as I recall. That's not complete enough to evaluate how extensive the irregularities were. And it only included high schools. Plus I didn't read anything from the state's review that identified why the problems were occurring. What was the cause of the irregularities? Was it incompetence? Was it intentional fraud? I would like to know that.
quote:I'm not questioning anything the state people did. You're being hyper sensitive and hyper critical making incorrect conclusions about what I've written. Stop being such a whiny butt.
Please explain what objections there are to how the audit was conducted that cause you to question the conclusions reached by the auditors.
quote:The review the school board wants is to determine not only what but why the discrepancies occurred which, as I wrote above, the state review didn't include.
What happens when if a different conclusion is reached by the auditors selected by the EBRPSB?
I think it is a damn good idea to try to determine why the irregularities occurred. I'm surprised you don't think that's important.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 12:47 pm to LSURussian
quote:
But it was a very limited sample, 5% as I recall. That's not complete enough to evaluate how extensive the irregularities were. And it only included high schools. Plus I didn't read anything from the state's review that identified why the problems were occurring. What was the cause of the irregularities? Was it incompetence? Was it intentional fraud? I would like to know that.
The question though is are there enough school board members that really want to know that? Where there's smoke there's fire so what if this is just the leading edge of a very big forest fire? What if it turns out that there are drastically more issues in heavily-black or heavily-white schools? Is there enough will on the board to want this brought out to the fullest degree, regardless of who/what it may harm?
Posted on 3/21/14 at 12:51 pm to Bard
What if? What if? What if?
That is why I said I hope whoever the school board hires to do the review is above reproach and truly independent. If the reviewer finds anything illegal, I want it to be turned over to the proper authorities for prosecution.
We can 'what if' all day, but until we see who they hire and what the review's parameters include, what if, to paraphrase Jim Mora, 'don't mean shite.'
That is why I said I hope whoever the school board hires to do the review is above reproach and truly independent. If the reviewer finds anything illegal, I want it to be turned over to the proper authorities for prosecution.
We can 'what if' all day, but until we see who they hire and what the review's parameters include, what if, to paraphrase Jim Mora, 'don't mean shite.'
Posted on 3/21/14 at 12:53 pm to LSURussian
quote:Agreed, the audit is useless if it's not done by a reputable firm.
I hope the board uses a reputable entity, such as SSA or Postlewaite and Netterville or Deloitte et al, to do the review. It should be a firm with a reputation to protect far beyond whatever work they do for the school board.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 12:58 pm to LSURussian
quote:
This board is so blindly against anything the board does, the board gets criticized even when it tries to do the right thing.
so Pat Smith is doing the right thing by blaming others?
Posted on 3/21/14 at 1:02 pm to LSURussian
quote:
We can 'what if' all day, but until we see who they hire and what the review's parameters include, what if, to paraphrase Jim Mora, 'don't mean shite.'
My point is that if there are already people trying to deflect away from the current findings, don't get your hopes up about a truly independent reviewer being hired.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 1:02 pm to LSURussian
quote:
But it was a very limited sample, 5% as I recall. That's not complete enough to evaluate how extensive the irregularities were. And it only included high schools. Plus I didn't read anything from the state's review that identified why the problems were occurring. What was the cause of the irregularities? Was it incompetence? Was it intentional fraud? I would like to know that.
My understanding was that the DOE audit was not intended to be the thorough audit to answer all of the questions, but simply to determine if something happened. In fact they turned the investigation over to the IG I thought in order to do a more thorough investigation and answer these questions of why.
While the investigation itself is not enough on its own to call for resignations, I think the reaction to it and Taylor's record of ineffectiveness here is more than enough. It's past time for him to go.
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