Contracts, conflicts & calendar - more from the SRC
Our print deadlines sometimes mean that some of the SRC's actual agenda doesn't end up in my story. So, here's what you missed.
Contracts, conflicts & calendar - more from the SRC
Kristen Graham
You can find lots of detail in today’s Inquirer about continued pushback against the 23 school closings already ordered by the SRC earlier this month, about community opposition to the district’s plan to privatize 2,000 Head Start seats to cope with budget cuts, and a proposal to expand the catchment of Bache-Martin Elementary.
But our print deadlines sometimes mean that some of the SRC’s actual agenda doesn’t end up in my story.
So, here’s what you missed:
--A $1.85 million contract amendment to pay outside lawyers passed unanimously. The contract ups the Philadelphia School District’s 2012-13 outside legal counsel budget to $4.85 million. (It had been $3 million.)
The amendment also added to the approved list of outside firms Hogan Lovells, an international law firm. District general counsel Michael Davis told me that particular addition was because the district needed to retain Maree F. Sneed, “a nationally-recognized education law expert,” as Davis described her. Sneed, according to her Hogan Lovells biography, frequently represents districts in cases involving the No Child Left Behind law, Indiduals with Disabilities Education Act, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. She has also taught in the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was formerly a teacher and principal.
Sneed, who’s based in Washington, D.C., previously represented the district when it was under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice over racial violence at South Philadelphia High.
She helped craft the settlement that ultimately ended that investigation.
This time around, Davis said, she’s needed to represent the district in an investigation by the federal Departement of Education’s civil rights office into the racial patterns of its 2012 school closings. The activist group Action United filed a claim alleging that the district’s closing plan disproportionately, adversely impacted African American and Hispanic students and students with disabilities.
Just to clarify: the extra $1.85 million won’t all be going to Hogan Lovells. The extra funds can be allocated to any of the multiple law firms already approved by the SRC.
--The commission also voted to authorize an $82,500 contract with the Philadelphia Youth Network, Inc., a local nonprofit. PYN focuses primarily on youth workforce development, and it will provide “key staff services associated with the establishment and organization of the School District’s new Office of Strategic Partnerships to coordinate and align external resource suppports for the School District and its students with the non-profit, foundation, higher education and philanthropic communities locally and nationally...”
Launching a strategic partnership office was a key item in Superintendent William R. Hite Jr.’s action plan, released earlier this year. He has stressed that stronger relationships with outside entities will be key to the financially struggling district’s success going forward.
Commissioner Joseph Dworetzky voted no to the resolution, saying he had concerns about potential conflicts of interest. PYN co-founder and CEO Stacy E. Holland sits on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Schools Partnership, another city nonprofit, for instance. (The Partnership was started to raise $100 million over five years to push a school reform agenda, investing in successful schools. It has growing influence in city education circles and has donated millions to charter expansion — and one district expansion — though it is viewed skeptically by some.)
After questions by Dworetzky, officials said that they would make sure procedures will be in place to handle any such conflicts. Dworetzky, after the meeting, reiterated his concerns but said they had nothing to do with Holland personally: “She’s great,” he said.
--The SRC approved a calendar for the 2013-14 school year. Staff will report on Sept. 3 and school starts for grades one through 12 on Sept. 9. Students’ last day is June 19, 2014, and the last day for staff is June 20.
That makes 181 days on the student calendar — a one-day cushion for snow. Students must attend 180 days of school in order for a district to receive state aid.
I would assume that the allocated money for legal fees does not have to be spent, so whoever causes the problem should be held responsible.
Additionally I have a problem with money being spent on a lawyer outside of the Philadelphia area. We have many prominent lawyers right here that can handle this.— tony bell- So, please explain where this additional $1.85 MILLION comes from. I guess they "missed the memo" stating that the School District needed to BORROW $300 MILLION just to get through THIS YEAR. Should we be preparing (again) for more tax increases to pay it all back, as usual?— dee99999
- Do we know who the lawyers/firms are who will possibly receive close to five million dollars from the SRC? Do we know whose campaigns they contributed to? Regarding Mr. Dworetzky's concern about potential conflicts of interest regarding Ms. Holland, no problem sir. The entire city government is one big conflict of interest. Why should the SRC be any different?— fightins4ever
- The SRC, in and of itself, is a conflict of interest. I don't know what the answer is but we must eliminate the SRC as we know it. I'm NOT for an elected school board because elected offices in Philadelphia are all too wrapped up in politics and only serve their political supporters. God help us if we eliminated the SRC and voted in PUPPETS controlled by the likes of Bob Brady, Chaka Fattah, Jainie Blackwell, Blondell Reynolds, Dwight Evans amd Kenny Gamble. Shudder at the thought. The existing SRC ain't far from that now serving their various political masters. We deserve better.— DarnelX
- This new Office for Strategic Partnerships. Is this about students or is it a way to sneak in privatization of the offices now manned by union members?— urbanight
- Got to make sure that Rendell's Ballard Spahr and Archie's law partners are being given their annual "gift" from the SRC, eh? They're on the $1.85 million SRC "approved list" aren't they?— oblekr
- Any lawyer can handle those cases. We do not need high priced outside lawyers who only "churn the cases" to make money for themselves. Look at the list of approved attorneys. They are all politically connected.
There is a legal problem with the way the district handles this. The fact that they appropriate taxpayer $$$$ for the legal department to "spend at will" is actually a violation of the Sunshine Act.
While the Sunshine Act allows the district to "discuss litigation" in executive session, it does not allow the district or the SRC to "authorize legal actions" or "authorize expenditures of taxpayers dollars" in executive session. That can only be legally done at an "open meeting" pursuant to a resolution.
What the district does is "circumvent the Sunshine Act."
What needs to be done is a comprehensive investigation into where this money is going, who it goes to, and for what reasons. They regularly litigate cases which could be settled for far less than what they spend on litigation.
If the district and the SRC did not constantly violate the rights of so many people, we would not need to waste so much money on litigation. We need some Sunshine on this stuff.
— readingspecialist 1 - We need the fed in here to investigate the SRC.— krautmef1
During the school year, you’ll frequently find her hosting live chats about the district on Philly.com. Please do pass along the scoop about what’s going on at your Philadelphia public school; Kristen welcomes tips, story ideas and witty banter at kgraham@phillynews.com or 215-854-5146.
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