Secret report shows ‘special’ treatment for public officials in D.C. school lottery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

And this is why we can't have nice things, like statehood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

Of course it benefited her politically and personally. Read the law. There's a reason she denied special ed kids help, but okayed wealthy connected officials in the Mayor's office like Courtney Snowden and White House/Capitol Hill officials like Roberto Rodriguez.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

Of course it benefited her politically and personally. Read the law. There's a reason she denied special ed kids help, but okayed wealthy connected officials in the Mayor's office like Courtney Snowden and White House/Capitol Hill officials like Roberto Rodriguez.

This. Especially with the nasty letter she wrote to the teacher about how it was ridiculous to even ask. Meanwhile she's bending over to help the well-connected in order further her career. I get why you have to help someone like Snowden who will be a tremendous pain in the ass if you don't. But there was no reason to help Rodriguez other than expecting quid pro quo down the line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

It's unbelievable how obtuse some people are on this forum. The IG looked at the 10 transfers requested in 2015. Kaya granted 7. 3 of them went to other DC government officials, including the city administrator and a deputy mayor. 1 went to Adrian Fenty. 1 went to her friend from grad school. 1 went to an Obama WH official. 1 went to someone in charge of a nonprofit helping DCPS.

So of the 7 discretionary placements that Kaya granted, NONE went to normal, unconnected citizens! Instead they went to her friends, other politically connected people, or superiors. That's why it's unethical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

It's unbelievable how obtuse some people are on this forum. The IG looked at the 10 transfers requested in 2015. Kaya granted 7. 3 of them went to other DC government officials, including the city administrator and a deputy mayor. 1 went to Adrian Fenty. 1 went to her friend from grad school. 1 went to an Obama WH official. 1 went to someone in charge of a nonprofit helping DCPS.

So of the 7 discretionary placements that Kaya granted, NONE went to normal, unconnected citizens! Instead they went to her friends, other politically connected people, or superiors. That's why it's unethical.

This is the bigger issue. I wonder if a normal family was denied, could they sue DCPS based on the special treatment she gave to those "high ranking folks".

[Anonymous]

It's unethical because her supposed rationale is just stupid. Letting people cheat the lottery does not build confidence in DCPS as a whole. It just proves that people of means and influence are unwilling to go to most DCPS schools. If those kids would like to join my DD at her Title I EOTP, that would build confidence in DCPS, but noooooo...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's unethical because her supposed rationale is just stupid. Letting people cheat the lottery does not build confidence in DCPS as a whole. It just proves that people of means and influence are unwilling to go to most DCPS schools. If those kids would like to join my DD at her Title I EOTP, that would build confidence in DCPS, but noooooo...

Not to mention which, if Rashad Young or Courtney Snowden don't like their neighborhood school, they should use their $200,000+ taxpayer funded salaries to enroll in private. Or move. Not cheat the system with Kaya's help. And as school chancellor, Kaya shouldn't enable this bad behavior

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's unethical because her supposed rationale is just stupid. Letting people cheat the lottery does not build confidence in DCPS as a whole. It just proves that people of means and influence are unwilling to go to most DCPS schools. If those kids would like to join my DD at her Title I EOTP, that would build confidence in DCPS, but noooooo...

Not to mention which, if Rashad Young or Courtney Snowden don't like their neighborhood school, they should use their $200,000+ taxpayer funded salaries to enroll in private. Or move. Not cheat the system with Kaya's help. And as school chancellor, Kaya shouldn't enable this bad behavior

+1. If these people did not have a way out of their schools, maybe they would try to improve them and they would be much better by now. That is the sad part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

It's unbelievable how obtuse some people are on this forum. The IG looked at the 10 transfers requested in 2015. Kaya granted 7. 3 of them went to other DC government officials, including the city administrator and a deputy mayor. 1 went to Adrian Fenty. 1 went to her friend from grad school. 1 went to an Obama WH official. 1 went to someone in charge of a nonprofit helping DCPS.

So of the 7 discretionary placements that Kaya granted, NONE went to normal, unconnected citizens! Instead they went to her friends, other politically connected people, or superiors. That's why it's unethical.

This is the bigger issue. I wonder if a normal family was denied, could they sue DCPS based on the special treatment she gave to those "high ranking folks".

Yes, I wonder this too. There must be students whose parents asked for a transfer due to issues like persistent bullying. Were they all denied?

[Anonymous]

Yes. If you weren't connected you were denied. Sometimes Kaya even sent you a nasty email chastising you, as a mere commoner for even asking, just to make the "fuck you" hit home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. If you weren't connected you were denied. Sometimes Kaya even sent you a nasty email chastising you, as a mere commoner for even asking, just to make the "fuck you" hit home.

And Kaya's ego convinced her she would get away with all of it. I hope this follows her to her next job

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

It's unbelievable how obtuse some people are on this forum. The IG looked at the 10 transfers requested in 2015. Kaya granted 7. 3 of them went to other DC government officials, including the city administrator and a deputy mayor. 1 went to Adrian Fenty. 1 went to her friend from grad school. 1 went to an Obama WH official. 1 went to someone in charge of a nonprofit helping DCPS.

So of the 7 discretionary placements that Kaya granted, NONE went to normal, unconnected citizens! Instead they went to her friends, other politically connected people, or superiors. That's why it's unethical.

This is the bigger issue. I wonder if a normal family was denied, could they sue DCPS based on the special treatment she gave to those "high ranking folks".

Yes, I wonder this too. There must be students whose parents asked for a transfer due to issues like persistent bullying. Were they all denied?

DCPS students are commonly transferred to safeguard their safety, but seldom to schools with long wait lists. It does happen. E.g. in 2014, the Cap Hill single mom who went to the WaPo after being charged with criminal child neglect for taking her 2nd grader on a 3-week adoption trip to Mongolia, with the Brent principal's written permission, was granted a transfer to SWS. If you recall, the mom was suddenly slapped with the charge 18 months after the trip. But the transfer only came after Henderson was shamed by Grosso and Allen over the mom's shameful case at a public DC City Council on Ed Committee hearing. Without the help of the WaPo/Petula Dvorak and the committee, pretty clearly, the mom's kids weren't going to crack SWS.

Henderson's ethics may have been shaky in arranging for these discretionary transfers, but she'll get away with it because she had the power, and, apparently, wasn't taking bribes for the placements. If DC citizens don't want virtually omnipotent school chancellors, powers must be returned to a democratically elected school board.

[Anonymous]

Shea appointed by a democratically elected mayor. We can just vote her out . The buck stops somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks need to get over this. Kaya had the legal authority to give special treatment to some of her friends or associates for school placement. Don't like it? 1 become superintendent or 2) Push for Bowser and city counsil to change the law. Otherwise, deal with it. You would have done the same thing. Maybe worse.

Guess what—you can believe that the Chancellor should have the power to make discretionary placements in rare instances AND simultaneously believe that he/she shouldn't use them to reward their friends. It's almost like the average resident expects the schools chancellor to make ethical decisions in order to wisely use the authority given to her!

Problem is that I disagree her using that discretionary power is unethical. The expressly gives he this authority. Its there for a reason. As long as Kaya did not use it in exchange for pay or political favors, I do not see the issue here.

It's unbelievable how obtuse some people are on this forum. The IG looked at the 10 transfers requested in 2015. Kaya granted 7. 3 of them went to other DC government officials, including the city administrator and a deputy mayor. 1 went to Adrian Fenty. 1 went to her friend from grad school. 1 went to an Obama WH official. 1 went to someone in charge of a nonprofit helping DCPS.

So of the 7 discretionary placements that Kaya granted, NONE went to normal, unconnected citizens! Instead they went to her friends, other politically connected people, or superiors. That's why it's unethical.

This is the bigger issue. I wonder if a normal family was denied, could they sue DCPS based on the special treatment she gave to those "high ranking folks".

Yes, I wonder this too. There must be students whose parents asked for a transfer due to issues like persistent bullying. Were they all denied?

DCPS students are commonly transferred to safeguard their safety, but seldom to schools with long wait lists. It does happen. E.g. in 2014, the Cap Hill single mom who went to the WaPo after being charged with criminal child neglect for taking her 2nd grader on a 3-week adoption trip to Mongolia, with the Brent principal's written permission, was granted a transfer to SWS. If you recall, the mom was suddenly slapped with the charge 18 months after the trip. But the transfer only came after Henderson was shamed by Grosso and Allen over the mom's shameful case at a public DC City Council on Ed Committee hearing. Without the help of the WaPo/Petula Dvorak and the committee, pretty clearly, the mom's kids weren't going to crack SWS.

Henderson's ethics may have been shaky in arranging for these discretionary transfers, but she'll get away with it because she had the power, and, apparently, wasn't taking bribes for the placements. If DC citizens don't want virtually omnipotent school chancellors, powers must be returned to a democratically elected school board.

Grosso was way too cozy with Kaya. When Catania ran oversight, the chancellor was reined in. We don't need a school board. We need better oversight

[Anonymous]

I am not convinced. Catania was louder and liked to put on a show of browbeating officials at a hearing but not much actually changed.

And unfortunately one of his most serious reforms -- the at risk set aside -- hasn't been implemented. Oddly that idea is hated in Ward 3, where most of his ardent supporters live.