Don't Forget to Shake Down the Vendors! - Email of the Day!

Today's e-mail of the day in the scandal arising from the 2012 school levy campaign at CPS involves targeted shakedowns of vendors to the school district.  It's called pay-to-play, quid-pro-quo.  If it happened at Procter & Gamble, Federated Department Stores, the Kroger Company, Cintas or Fifth Third Bank, the executive would be hoisted on their petard, and referred for criminal prosecution.  Not at CPS, the obviously criminal conduct of shakedowns of vendors for kickbacks simply are part of the way they do business. 

One of the things we find abhorrent about the continuing abuse of public resources by Cincinnati Public Schools, the illegal campaigning, the rampant abuses of all rules of decency, is the casualness with which the abuses take place. "Oh here's a quick email to remind you to do some illegal campaigning today...Don't forget to abuse your position of trust with children and tax dollars...and oh yeah, bully your co-workers as well..."

Even as they attempt to avoid detection by using personal email addresses and acknowledge that the reason they are doing this is to evade the law and the COAST/CPS agreement, they are seemingly oblivious to the damage they are doing and the criminal behavior in which they are engaging (see ORC Sections 9.03 and 3315.07 (C)(1)).

Conscripting Students as Political Hacks! - Email of the Day

We've seen and heard it all before, "it's for the children..." A staple of lazy and unethical political operatives is to organize a bunch of kids to "write" letters to the editor wringing their hands over some crisis du jour or in support of some pet cause.

Well, you heard the words lazy and unethical political operative; that can mean only one thing...Jens Sutmoller and the CPS Email of the Day!

Today's installment asks various CPS board members, principals and employees, as well as a few local political activists, to encourage students to "write letters to the editors to support our position."

We try to add some levity to the email of the day (some say too much levity); but ultimately this is a very serious issue. The question remains the same. What will get these people to stop abusing public resources and conscripting children into political indentured servitude?

Hey Union Leave them Teachers Alone!

Today's installment of the email of the day comes to us from Scott Sublett, principal (or as Jens Sutmoller prefers "principle") of Covedale School.

Sublett informs Sutmoller that apparently teachers don't like being treated like a bunch of mindless union thugs. They like to believe that who they vote for is their own decision, and that their union shouldn't be in the business of telling them which candidates to support. Sublett also tells us that teachers don't much mind being shaken down for contributions and support for levy campaigns though. Good to know exactly where the line is drawn.

Outrageous Abuses Never End - Email of the Day

COAST has been diligently highlighting the more outrageous abuses of public dollars by Cincinnati Public Schools. 

Today we bring you an email exchange between a teacher at the John P. Parker school and Jens Sutmoller, the campaign manager for the levy campaign. Patsy Holmes asks if they can host the pro-levy postcard signing party at the school. 

Email of the Day Postcard Party at the School

Send Mascots, Bands and Cheerleaders! - Email of the Day

The treasure trove of emails continues to showcase what can only be called a pathological abuse of public resources; abuses about which we all know school administrators ought to be hyper-aware. As a future email of the day will demonstrate, all of the emails turned over and posted for public consumption were written with the full knowledge of the COAST agreement by the senders and recipients; and that, by their actions using tax dollars for political campaigning, they were trampling all over state law and the COAST agreement.

Today we laugh to avoid crying. Warren Zevon used to sing: "Send Lawyers, Guns and Money." Tom Frank, CPS union organizer, does him one better: "Send Mascots, Bands and Cheerleaders." Or maybe Judy Collins' "Send in the Clowns."

Read here as Tom Frank emails CPS teachers (at their official CPS emails) to arrange to have High School cheerleaders and marching bands bused to a political rally in support of the school levy. (As we already told you, you can't make this stuff up!)

Notice also that the Walnut Hills music teacher replies in the middle of the school day (using his CPS email); and that he is apparently unable to spell "can't." Sursum ad summum indeed.

  Send Mascots Bands and Cheerleaders

A Hyper-Aware Shakedown

As if the disclosures from Cincinnati Public Schools to date have not been sufficiently scandalous, COAST recently received another treasure trove of documents showing the outrageous top-to-bottom misuse of public resources for political campaigning. Over the next few days we will share with you even more of the "emails of the day"showing, sometimes so outrageously as to be humorous, the systemic abuse of tax dollars to pass the Cincinnati Public School levy this past November.

Today's installment is an outrageous and overt shakedown of school district vendors for contributions of $5,000 each. Read that letter below.

This letter, and many like it, was sent to CPS vendors. Perhaps a Hyper-Naive Enquirer Editorial writer would call this just another Hyper-Aware Shakedown??  Or maybe some good old fashioned, ho-hum Hyper-Aware Pay to Play??

Apropos of possibly nothing, read about how a former Detroit Mayor is going to Federal Prison for steering contracts in exchange for financial contributions here.

  Ronan Fundraising Letter

More Political Activity on Public's Dime - Email of the Day #12

The outrageous conduct seems to have no end...

Today's Email of the Day comes to us from Riverview East Academy.

The Lead Secretary was apparently responsible for co-ordinating the "volunteers" for her school. On the public's time, using public resources. 

The public has a right to see what is being done in their name, on their time and on their dime. And as even Spicoli knows, the school day is "Our Time." 

We have begged and pleaded; we've sued and settled; and CPS continues to violate the law and our agreement. What will it take to get them to stop abusing the taxpayers?

  CPS Email of the Day #12 by   COAST

Forced Voter Registration! CPS Email of the Day #11

We have seen emails detailing the involvement of the upper echelons of CPS administration running the  levy campaign using public resources; we've seen emails detailing the sharing of students' personal information with Union political operatives; we have seen coerced political activism and contributions.

Today we see forced voter registration by CPS personnel. Thankfully, CPS personnel are "hyper-aware about staying apolitical in their communications."

  Email of the Day #11 Forced Voter Registration by COAST  

Hyper-Aware CPS Email of the Day #10

Today's email of the day reminds us exactly the sort of people we are dealing with in the CPS abuse of taxpayer resources case.

Roger Lewis, following up on his appearance in the very first Email of the Day, makes a return appearance.

Here, Jens Sutmoller - sleazy political operative - does his usual "Do you have a personal email address" routine. From what we can tell, this is how it works with Sutmoller. He makes the connection with principals and teachers through their CPS emails and then uses their personal emails to further coordinate campaigning on school property and using school resources...

Roger Lewis responded by giving not a personal email, but his CPS phone numbers.

Congratulations Roger Lewis on your second Email of the Day!

  Email of the Day #10 by COAST  

Another "Hyper-Aware" Email from Franklin Schools

The administration of Franklin City Schools appears to be as corrupt as Cincinnati Public's. So it is fitting that the Enquirer stand up for their right to abuse taxpayer dollars for political purposes.

Superintendent Elam's letter to parents - delivered with indentured servant students - was not some quick, off-the-cuff, I lost my head sort of letter as has been suggested by the Enquirer and others. Rather this was a deliberately crafted political piece that was vetted and approved by the School Board prior to publication.

Apparently the Board's hypersensitivity wasn't turned up to 11 that day.

Read below as the board's comment and approval is sought and given:

  Board Approval by COAST  

CPS teachers of "critical thinkers" fail in critical thinking

COAST blog and newsletters readers have enjoyed weeks and weeks of outrageous e-mails using the official CPS e-mail system campaigning for the Cincinnati Public School Levy on last November's ballot.  You can read those stories here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. 

But what strikes COAST as most remarkable is not that teachers, principals, and even the Superintendent and School Board would engage in a broad conspiracy to abuse tax dollars -- indeed that has become de rigueur for what the Enquirer refers to as "hyper-aware" educators avoiding misuse of taxpayer resources.

More Shocking Emails! - CPS Email of the Day Returns

Mary Ronan Inaugural Bad Apple

Today's email is a few more of those "rogue employees" that CPS can't possibly be expected to control. You know, like the Superintendent and Board Members!

Read as CPS Superintendent Mary Ronan and School Board Members Eve Bolton, Melanie Bates and Eileen Cooper Reed direct the operation of the Levy Campaign, using the CPS email system.

  CPS Email of the Day #9 by COAST  

Democrats Defend the Indefensible!

A few weeks ago there was a steady drumbeat of outrage coming from the Democrats over the political speech of a member of the Ohio School Board.

Deb Terhar, reposted a political message some find objectionable on her personal facebook page, and a short time later removed the message. This led to calls for her to be removed from the school board, for her to resign, everything short of a gallows being constructed. All over a pretty innocuous facebook posting on her personal facebook page.

Vote on the CPS Bad Apple

Over the past couple of weeks we've been updating you on some of the more shameless/outrageous/ and just plain humorous emails turned over by CPS thus far.

Today we open up the polls to allow you to vote on the CPS Bad Apple of 2012. This years nominees are:

1: Carolyn V.M. Pedapati, Ed. M - for sending student data to a union political organizer.
2: Jennifer Martini, M. Ed. - for the veiled threat "Walk, talk, or pay."
3: Kelly Rozelle and Ceair Baggett - for making light of CPS bullying for political contributions.
4: CPS and CASE for bullying employees into making political contributions.
5: Jens Sutmoller for attempting to conscript students into "volunteering."
6: Brad Dillman for inviting CASE to participate in a political volunteer event but no other issue groups.
7: Pleasant Ridge Montesori for campaigning in the school newsletter sent to parents.
8: Jared Caesar and Yzvetta Macon of South Avondale for rescheduling parent conferences to allow teachers to campaign.
9: Roger Lewis for including levy campaign activities in his daily update email.
10: Superintendent Mary Ronan for orchestrating all of this!

Your vote matters, please select one for this special honor.

- Update - Mary Ronan in early lead with 37% of the vote; Carolyn V.M. Pedapati, Ed. M in second place as of 4:00 pm. Vote Now

CPS Attendance Scam Update - Yost with Brian Thomas

Brian Thomas at 55KRC spoke with Ohio Auditor David Yost this morning about the recent revelations of CPS manipulating student attendance data to undermine the integrity of the school grading system and goose their own numbers.

Yost pointed out that this was not some "victimless" crime, rather the victims are the students of those schools who were robbed of the opportunity to seek vouchers because the school results were bumped up illegally. The victims are the students who didn't get the federal money for tutoring that they would have qualified for had CPS not cheated the system.

CPS trapped these kids in underperforming schools and stole their opportunity for hope.

As Auditor Yost points out, this was not the result of a few rogue teachers, this scheme was fomented and carried out at the highest levels of CPS administration. This scam is likely to cost CPS upwards of $40 Million in state funding, with criminal prosecutions to come.

Listen here beginning at 17:50.

Latest Shocker CPS Leaks Student Data to Union Political Worker

Over the past week and a half we have released emails detailing CPS' misuse of public resources; bullying tactics used against its employees to secure political action and contributions (Walk, Talk or PAY); attempts to conscript students into "volunteering" for the levy campaign; and these emails have shown that all of this has been orchestrated not by a few rogue employees, but by Superintendent Mary Ronan and the upper echelon of CPS administration.

Today's email is possibly the most damning to date.

Ms. Carolyn V.M. Pedapati, Ed.M, CPS' Social Studies Curriculum Manager and TAH Program Director, whose office just happens to be located in the "Superintendent's Office, Curriculum Dept." - which is our way of saying she ain't no lowly rogue employee - emails the Social Studies Department Chairs with info on the CPS voter registration drive.

Ms. Pedapati, Ed.M was also kind enough to include a spreadsheet of all the CPS students who turned 18 before election day. So far there doesn't seem to be anything untoward here.

But...what's this? who's the second person CC'd on the email? Why Tom Frank, at his UNION email address. Well why would the Social Studies Curriculum Manager and TAH Program Director be emailing a spreadsheet with confidential student information to the UNION email address of a teacher that CPS insists was on work release at the time, not doing any official CPS work?

Surely Tom Frank is a high school social studies teacher, so the spreadsheet was of his current students and he had some legitimate pedagogical reason to have that spreadsheet right? What's that? He's an elementary school music teacher? Huh?

Is it starting to become clearer? CPS bullies its employees into working for the levy; they campaign for the levy using school resources; including school newsletters to parents; attempt to conscript students into working for the levy, all at the behest of the CPS administration. So, what do you think Tom Frank did with that spreadsheet? Do you think he baked some birthday cakes? Or do you think he used that information to target voters for the school levy and other Union supported causes?

Every bit of this is (a) illegal under state law; (b) in direct violation of the 10 year old agreement CPS entered into with COAST; and (c) just plain sleazy.

By the way isn't there some sort of Federal Law about disseminating students' private information?

  CPS Email of the Day #8 by COAST

Scandalous CPS Email #7 - Walk Talk or Pay!

Today's Email of the Day follows up on the theme of the nefarious shakedown of School Teachers by CASE - the gang involved in running the Levy Campaigns.

Nothing says uncoerced, voluntary political activity, speech and financial contributions quite like an email to your workplace telling you to "Walk, talk, or pay."

That's right, Kilgour's staff was subjected to that threatening language through the CPS email system from Ms. Jennifer Martini.

But don't worry, CPS assures us that these are the acts of a few rogue employees. Nevermind the fact that they are acting at the behest of Superintendent Mary Ronan, on school time, using school computers and email.

Outraged Yet??

  Email of the Day #7 Kilgour Walk Talk or Pay Page by  COAST

Shameless - CPS School Caught Coordinating Campaign Cited in Auditor's Report

Ohio Auditor David Yost has released a report on the investigation into "irregularities" in reporting by nine school districts in Ohio.

To absolutely no one's surprise, CPS is embroiled in this scandal as well.

CPS systematically "un-enrolled" students who transferred between schools within the district but missed school days between the transfer. By so doing, CPS was able to remove those students from the CPS report card. Thus, CPS goosed its test scores.

Like the levy campaign scheme, this appears to have been orchestrated at the highest levels.

Our review of the report shows that South Avondale Elementary was part of this scam. You'll remember that name from our Email of the Day #2. In that email the School's union rep informed the Principal that parent teacher conferences would have to be rescheduled to accommodate political campaigning.

These incidents are really two sides of the same coin. In both cases CPS administration is placing money before the students. Funny, we've always been taught that it is only those evil for profit businesses that put profits before people.

  Final AttendanceAudit 02112012 by  COAST

Email of the Day #6 - Revealed Mary Ronan Orchestrating

Today we present an email to the staff of Pleasant Hill Academy. Teacher Kimberly Russell reminds her co-workers that CPS superintendent "Mary Ronan has asked that every school volunteer some time to ensure the levy passes."

Thus, we know that the use, misuse and abuse of school resources was not the acts of a few rogue employees, as CPS counsel has suggested. Rather this systematic abuse was part of an orchestrated effort, sent down from the highest levels of CPS administration.

Is anyone surprised by this?

  Email of the Day #6 by  COAST

Email of the Day #5 - CPS Levy Shakedown

The famed "bully" email exchange between two CPS Assistant Principals. We've included the CASE campaign finance reports that show that three days after complaining of being bullied into contributing, CPS Assistant Principal Kelly Rozelle gave in to the bullying.

  Email of the Day #5 by COAST