City Paper - Deep Dive into TenSquare, charter 'turnaround' consultant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So who governs or oversees the PCSB?

Politicians, who take generous donations from the same types of group that the article discusses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes. What do the pro charter folks think about this? Are you willing to clean house of the corruption?

I'm pro-charter. I believe in the teachers and admin who dedicate everything to serve kids and the kids and families who want a better choice. Those who are truly pro-charter would not be pro anything that takes money out of schools for children and directs it to self-serving, corrupt interests. The charter board needs to govern itself and discipline its employees. If they can't or won't the mayor or council or OSSE must step in. But here's the real truth -- the charter board takes direction from Pearson and his deputy, not the other way around. So it's not likely the board will do anything. I hope the mayor and council step up.

[Anonymous]

I'm fine with investigation s but wish we could retire the phrase deep dive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Scott Pearson should resign. This is crazy.

It's a Trump-Pence dilemma. His deputy is even worse.

[Anonymous]

But then the mayor/council/OSSE (especially OSSE) will be criticized for interfering with the governance of the charter schools. Who is accountable for how this money is spent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes. What do the pro charter folks think about this? Are you willing to clean house of the corruption?

I'm pro-charter. I believe in the teachers and admin who dedicate everything to serve kids and the kids and families who want a better choice. Those who are truly pro-charter would not be pro anything that takes money out of schools for children and directs it to self-serving, corrupt interests. The charter board needs to govern itself and discipline its employees. If they can't or won't the mayor or council or OSSE must step in. But here's the real truth -- the charter board takes direction from Pearson and his deputy, not the other way around. So it's not likely the board will do anything. I hope the mayor and council step up.

It’d be nice if truly pro-charter parents like you would publicly speak up over the astroturf groups (DFER, FOCUS, etc.) that enable this kind of behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But then the mayor/council/OSSE (especially OSSE) will be criticized for interfering with the governance of the charter schools. Who is accountable for how this money is spent?

The US Department of Education ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great article. But this shouldn't be a surprise if you've been following the PCSB and the various scandals that keep cropping up. Many seem to have forgotten that former PCSB CFO Jeremy Williams promoted the private companies that paid him - all under the not-so-watchful eye of Pearson. Williams entanglement at Options charter school was part of that school's demise. Who got the contract to turn Options around? TenSquare of course, leaving the school worse off financially than when they started. Lots of shading dealings. The deeper you dig, the more you'll find. Don't be surprised when the next articles show how Pearson knew all of it directly and even helped to engineer it. It also isn't surprising that the PCSB is inept at producing documents and being transparent yet regularly berates charters that to the same.

What is surprising is that the PCSB board does nothing to reign the PCSB staff in. Perhaps they need a crash course in governance.

Several members of the board work for large charter networks. They have no business on a board that governs charters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But then the mayor/council/OSSE (especially OSSE) will be criticized for interfering with the governance of the charter schools. Who is accountable for how this money is spent?

The US Department of Education ?

I don't this so ... and this admin would be the last to step in and stop a pro-choice body from just happening to line their own pockets via typical white color crime shenanigans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great article. But this shouldn't be a surprise if you've been following the PCSB and the various scandals that keep cropping up. Many seem to have forgotten that former PCSB CFO Jeremy Williams promoted the private companies that paid him - all under the not-so-watchful eye of Pearson. Williams entanglement at Options charter school was part of that school's demise. Who got the contract to turn Options around? TenSquare of course, leaving the school worse off financially than when they started. Lots of shading dealings. The deeper you dig, the more you'll find. Don't be surprised when the next articles show how Pearson knew all of it directly and even helped to engineer it. It also isn't surprising that the PCSB is inept at producing documents and being transparent yet regularly berates charters that to the same.

What is surprising is that the PCSB board does nothing to reign the PCSB staff in. Perhaps they need a crash course in governance.

Several members of the board work for large charter networks. They have no business on a board that governs charters.

Who? Which networks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So who governs or oversees the PCSB?

The City Council, so Grosso.

[Anonymous]

Someone needs to investigate the conflicts of interest. Relatives. Spouses. TenSquare executives have relationships with executives at Chavez Charter School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to investigate the conflicts of interest. Relatives. Spouses. TenSquare executives have relationships with executives at Chavez Charter School.

Agree this is disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Is there any way to get involved with/complain meaningfully to/do anything about the PCSB?

I didn't know it was entirely appointed. That seems wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any way to get involved with/complain meaningfully to/do anything about the PCSB?

I didn't know it was entirely appointed. That seems wrong.

Lobby the mayor and council. The mayor nominates and the Council confirms.