A “scorching internal review”
A “scorching internal review”
of the Bush administration’s $1 billion/year reading program “says the Education Department ignored the law and ethical standards to steer money how it wanted.” The report says the program — described as the “jewel of No Child Left Behind” — is “beset by conflicts of interest and willful mismanagement” and “suggests the department broke the law by trying to dictate which curriculum schools must use.”
UPDATE: Rep. George Miller (D-CA), ranking member on the education committee, is outraged:
“Corrupt cronies at the Department of Education wasted taxpayer dollars on an inferior reading curriculum for kids that was developed by a company headed by a Bush friend and campaign contributor,” said Miller. “Instead of putting children first, they chose to put their cronies first. Enough is enough. President Bush and Secretary Spellings must take responsibility and do a wholesale housecleaning at the Education Department.”
“Everyone at the Department of Education who was involved in perpetrating this fraud on school districts should be fired — not suspended, not reassigned, not admonished, but fired.”
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Can’t these guys do anything legally, ethically or correctly??
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:08 pmThe Bush Administration is incompetent? Whoda guessed!
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:09 pmBush can’t even put America’s children before politics.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:15 pmEver since the Republicans took control of Congress in 1995, they have been concerning themselves less and less each year with avoiding “conflicts of interests” and, especially, “the appearance of a conflict of interest.” There are times when I think that they believe a “conflict of interest” arises when the law conflilcts with what they would like to do.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:16 pmHow can something be the “jem” of something that sucked from the outset and has all but destroyed the value of children in favor of scoring results for schools and those who are made to look good by them. NCLB is AWFUL!!
To take from Dave Chapelle’s bank of wise sayings, “You can’t make a dukie twinkle.”
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:16 pmSurely since it’s an AP article there are sites you could link to that don’t require registration???
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:19 pmNo surprise here, anyone remember DubbleUse’s pick for Secretary of Education?
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:20 pmSome Texan administrator who came in under a cloud because of allegations of widespread cheating and manipulation of test scores which put Texas public education in a more kindly (or should I say, less appalling)… light?
(test post)
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:21 pm“Bush Administration stealing funding for cronies”
…hmmm…
…now there’s something you don’t see everyday…
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:22 pmtest post, please….
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:22 pmIt’s all about dismantling the public education system in America. And if your cronies can make a ton of bucks doing so, so much the better.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:25 pmhitler youth II
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:31 pmtry this link:
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:35 pmhttp://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4207367.html
It just keeps getting better. These people are a disease.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:36 pmChanged the link…
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:38 pmFire them all, starting at the top with Margaret Spelling.
That bitch hates public schools and wants them all dismantled.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:38 pmEver notice how the GOPigs have reallly bad fridays? lol =)
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:45 pmWheres that Exley and his Sockpuppets at now?
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:46 pmCould someone explain to me why we even have a federal Department of Education? Dismantle it, as was promised during the Gingrich Revolution on 1994.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:49 pmYou have to wonder with November coming up if they (the GOP) meet each other and plead that they try not to do anything unethical for 1 month. I can just imagine it, “Please man! PLEASE. Let’s try to be good people. For a month! Just ONE month and we can contain our power and go back to business as usual.”
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:49 pmHUD? Full of cronies and corrupt.
FEMA? Full of cronies and corrupt.
DoD? Full of cronies and corrupt.
DOE? Full of cronies and corrupt.
Congress? Full of cronies and corrupt.
For the love of all that is holy …
Does anyone really need any more reason to vote these flaming jackasses out of office? Seriously …
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:51 pmThese people are unbelievable. They cannot touch anything without either screwing it up or steering the money to a bogus Repugnant-related company. The word “accountability” is apparently not in their dictionary. Throw the bums out!
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:53 pmThis administration will go down as the most incompetent and corrupt in history. Grant is smilling somewhere…
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:54 pmWelcome to Orwellia. Please have a seat. The two minutes of hate will be presented by Bill O’Really today. Bill prefers that you call him Falafel Boy or Filth O’Lielly, Thanks for your Hate!!
\/\/\/\//\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
GOPig Doublethink/neospeak= No Child Left Behind
Translated = All Children left behind
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:55 pmAnd Dobson wants the good republican people I know to vote for the Republicans even though he says they are corrupt and incompetent…
Is Dobson crazy??
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:56 pmCan you add to the fired list all the those clowns from the HUD?
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:56 pm26, Punchy…Agreed….Time to eliminate and dismantle HUD and the Department of Education.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:00 pmGeorge W. Bush Is NOT My President!
22nd of September 2006
by Jay Randal
George W. Bush in 2000 swindled VP Al Gore out of the presidency, then in 2004 cheated again against Sen. John Kerry to retain power in the White House. George used the office of the presidency to invade Iraq to control its OIL reserves. Almost 3,000 young soldiers have lost their lives and almost 20,000 have been wounded. Many of them lost arms or legs or both for Bush’s concocted debacle. Our nation is being bankrupted by George, to fund that fiasco, and now he plans attack on Iran too. Our nation’s citizenry are being harmed by his bogus economic policies that favor the rich. The GOP controlled Congress has done nothing to stop him. Pres. Chavez, of Venezuela, has a right to criticize Bush’s vulgar policies.
( Jay Randal, political activist and writer in Stone Mountain, Georgia.)
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:01 pmIs this truly the J. Lepetomain institute for the criminally insane?
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:03 pmIf you don’t advance any children, of course you don’t leave any behind…
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:04 pmOk,
Seriously listen to me. I know I am the guy everyone here thinks the the extreme conservative guy, but honestly I care about education like I care about wildlife (ALOT). Here is my plan to fix education because nothing in the world is more important then teaching out children.
Step by Step:
1) Make getting a degree as a teacher as hard and as long as becoming a doctor.
2) Completely get rid of the teacher’s Union
3) Make starting pay for a first year teacher a minimum of $100,000
4) Make any pay increase from the starting based on merit of how good they are. The best teachers in my program should be able to clear $250,000.
5) Be able to fire any teacher simply if they aren’t very good. We want the best.
6) Lets start focusing on the individual. Stop teaching to the dumbest child. It is time we start weeding out the best and brightest. Put the smartest of the class in class’ designed to challege and advance them.
So, I propose way more money for education, but in turn I want better teachers and a better program.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:05 pmThe BUSH administration is not incompetent at their goal, which is to rob the coffers blind and then put on the handcuffs. They are simply incompetent at governance, but ask any of the base what they want from the GOP, governance or government takeover. “ONE PARTY RULE.” That’s takeover.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:05 pmIOKIYAR
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:08 pmThis is quite a Friday newsdump item.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:10 pmAmerica’s Least Wanted
#32 Why don’t we just give our kids those smart pills…that is about as likely as your pie in the sky plan…
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:11 pmCould someone explain to me why we even have a federal Department of Education? Dismantle it, as was promised during the Gingrich Revolution on 1994.
Comment by Exley
Hey, Exley, still hungover from the celebration? :)
In response to your post, I believe that having a Dept of Education falls within this section on legislative powers:
And it wasn’t dismantled during the Gingrich revolution because the American people didn’t want it abolished. Newt did, but good thing for us he doesn’t speak for most Americans. Strange that he would be against public education. After all, he’s the one who married his high school geometry teacher. If there wasn’t a Dept. of Ed., there would have been a different first Mrs. Newton Gingrich, and he might not have turned into the lovable Pillsbury doughboy the conservatives adore so much. (And her husband might not have been such a jerk that he would show up in her hospital recovery room after her cancer surgery to discuss the terms of their divorce.)
Yeah, Newton can be your hero, Exley. You can have him. Have a good weekend.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:11 pmEducation Department for sale. Send your checks to the RNC. Pick up the contracts out back. NEXT!
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:14 pmHe forgot to say “not given a gold medal”.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:18 pmRoger_Roger
I agree with you on all points except #3. Any starting salary at 100k is a good gig but for someone who works 12 weeks less than that avg American? I live in a high tax area as is with avg teachers salaries in our district at 52k. Having teachers salaries THAT high would cripple economies because everyone’s school taxes would be out the door.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:20 pmMy goodness! How incredibly thoughtful it is of BushCo to provide us with not one, but two documented examples of Republicans doing what they do best. Lie, cheat, and steal. And to put them out so close to each other! What may have seemed random, now looks like a pattern. I wonder who gave them the game plan to follow? And how many more of these reviews are currently in the works? Keep them coming!
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:21 pmWayne don’t feed Exley – he’s a pathalogical liar.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:23 pmthis test
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:30 pmExcuse my spelling
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:31 pmThe government is bound to provide an education (among other things) to its citizens. The Bush administration has been unable to provide anything to American citizens that it doesn’t run through the fingers of its crooked cronies first. They have no compunction in screwing children, the elderly, the sick, the poor or the military. They absolve their consciences of all guilt because they perversely believe their god is on their side. They are disgusting and immoral, almost to a man — it seems to be a prerequisite for employment within Bush&Co.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:34 pmThe program should be called:
No crony left behind
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:37 pm#43 – TerrytheTurtle,
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:37 pmBut I thought that you were a warlock!:-)
Nope, just a turtle…damn flippers make typing a real pain in the shell.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:39 pm#36, Wayne…Good to hear from you.
Nah, I didn’t celebrate too much the other night. As Jane and I discussed, as happy as we are with the division championship, we still have a long way to go before we get the MAIN prize.
Wayne, I am not saying that Congress does not have the constitutional authority to create the Department of Education. I am just saying that as a matter of policy, education should be a local matter and that a massive federal government bureaucracy in Washington, D.C. does not help advance the goal of education very much. Rather, it seems to hinder it.
Have a good weekend, Wayne. Say hello to Jane.
P.S. I am a little worried about Pedro.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:40 pm#41 Terry! Here you are! I was wondering where you went after you ran away from the other thread! Good to see ya again!
Wayne, Jane and I share a bond you can never understand, T-bill….
We are New York Mets fans! And nothing will tear us asunder!
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:42 pmTerryTheTurtle,
Exley and I have come to an understanding with each other which we know doesn’t bind anyone else. We each believe the other is misguided and we each want to help the other change his way of looking at things. But we each agree that it might take a long time. So we agreed to be civil to one another. If he responds to what I wrote (he doesn’t have to), he’ll limit it to me and my remarks. And we both agreed not to go on too much about how great the New York Mets are, since it bothers all the Yankees fans out there.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:43 pmReviews like this should make the headlines and the 6 o’clock news around the country. But here we are on a Friday (again) and a small blurb will be around for one news cycle, then the public will forget it if they ever learn of it in the first place. These are the kinds of things the media is obliged to focus on as their mission, but they would rather focus on why Rosie O’Donnell is pissing everyone off.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:44 pmThis is news that affects every family in America, but I won’t hold my breath in waiting for any public reaction.
Margaret Spelling — a Bush crony with a Texas resume he loves.
#41…Thank you, Wayne!
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:46 pm# 50 …Oops, Wayne:
And we both agreed not to go on too much about how great the New York Mets are, since it bothers all the Yankees fans out there.
I think I violated our rules….Sorry everybody!
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:50 pmRoger–
Not horrendous ideas, but there are two problems (which, IMHO, are correctable).
1. Paying teachers $100K a years would be awesome. But in some areas that simply can’t happen — a backwoods school in the Ozark hills don’t have that kind of jack. They DO need to be paid more, but it should be commensurate with where they live.
2. Your point #6 seems to be saying: “Focus on the really smart kids, and screw the dumb ones.” Well, if that’s the case, we’ll have a lot of uneducated Republicans. Oh, wait … ;-) Seriously, though, there has to be a way to educate all the kids. Sure, there will be some a bit sharper than others. But if you ignore those who need the most help to focus on those who don’t, you’ll create a caste society. Not what we need.
The plan also leaves out one crucial element that, quite frankly, has disappeared from our schools and has led to most of the problems (again, IMHO): PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT!
There are so many parents that simply don’t care about their children’s education. Instead, they look at the schools to basically raise their kids.
Not sure how to solve that issue — it’s a cultural thing. Perhaps some sort of penalty if a parent(s) don’t attend at least one Parent/teacher meeting every other month. Or maybe make the EIC on their taxes dependent on such meetings. Or … I dunno. Wish I had better solutions.
Anyone else wanna take a stab at it?
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:51 pmThis administration will be touted by history books as
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:51 pmCorruptCronies R’US
Once again – WHERE IS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA ON THIS AND THE HUD STORY? WHERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS? WHERE IS THE UNIFIED MESSAGING THAT HAS EVERY DEMOCRAT BEFORE THE MEDIA TODAY MOUTHING THE SAME MESSAGE?
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:56 pmOnce again – WHERE IS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA ON THIS AND THE HUD STORY? WHERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS? WHERE IS THE UNIFIED MESSAGING THAT HAS EVERY DEMOCRAT BEFORE THE MEDIA TODAY MOUTHING THE SAME MESSAGE?
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:56 pmfahrenheit 451. Touch my books I break your face.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:57 pmhave a nice day
All kidding aside, when I was a Junior in high school and the USSR launched the first Earth satellite, a Republican administration kicked off an educational program that advanced science in the US by about 24 months in the period of 18 months. The Democratic administration that ensued continued the effort and ten years later, the US was leading the space race and led the USSR by about 4 years.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:58 pmNow in a mere 5 1/2 years, the Bush administration has managed to turn back education to the same level it occupied when Reagan left office and, in some cases, Coolidge.
Exley,
One last note before I go.
That it may not have been done well does not mean it shouldn’t have been done at all. I think we should have national standards for education. I think we would all agree that upon graduation, there’s a certain minimum of information that every child should have. Again, they probably failed at this, but it should be a goal. Education is important. Personally I value education and learning so much that I think it should all be free right up through your doctoral degree. And I don’t think that only people who own land should fund it. I think parents should be charged a tuition for each child they put through the system. (Why should I pay school taxes? I don’t have any kids.)
Gotta run. And I think Pedro will be fine by the postseason. He knows his body by now and he knows what he can and can’t do. But I think he also knows to tell the manager when he doesn’t have it, so I don’t think he’ll let pride stop him from pulling himself out of a game. Gotta run. I’ll say Hi to Jane.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:58 pmCan anyone tell me if any of these Offices/Officers HAVE NOT been involved in some controversy, scandal, fraud, lie, malfeasance, incompetence, cronyism or other “High Crime or Misdemeanor?”
The only two I can’t recall something about are Chao/Labor and Cino/Transportation.
Such a collection of Keystone Kops would be funny if it weren’t so tragic.
It is getting close to the point that the scandals and thefts will exceed DUHbya’s entire deficit.
Impeachment anyone?
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:00 pmSecretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales
Secretary of the Interior Dirk A. Kempthorne
Secretary of Agriculture Michael O. Johanns
Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso R. Jackson
Secretary of Transportation Maria Cino (acting)
Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman
Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert James “Jim” Nicholson
Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
#61 – Clyde+the+Ripper,
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:15 pmYou’ve got me Clyde!
I betyou’ve seen this one.
#49 – nope Exliar. As Einstein (I think) said: doing the same thing over and again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity – I don’t debate sociopaths, it’s worthless. I expect that other posters drew their own conclusions from your behavior – I have confidence in their objectivity.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:16 pm#61 Well Clyde – there is always the hapless Christy Todd Whitman at the EPA for telling New Yorkers and rescue workers that Ground Zero and Manhattan air was safe….
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:17 pmOne more non-surprise. Why do we keep registering some kind of “shock” to these revelations? Would you honestly expect anything different from this administration? Seems to me it’s time for progressives to get out of the reaction phase, and also past the “always expected this” phase. We are far behind that famous 8 ball, which explains our relative ineffectiveness. It’s not only time to get to the “expected this” phase, but the predictive phase. I.E….if this compromise on detainee treatment and trails is approved by the Senate and House…..what WILL the results be for the American people and the world. Is the “freedom” to post on TP nothing except an avenue to vent….so that we never take any action in the real world? Ever thought of that, considering that our emails and other postings are being monitored constantly?
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:19 pmNext, the no bid multi billion dollar contract to Halliburton to privatize the school systems.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:22 pmNobody should be surprised by this. Bush promised to spend his political capital, meaning he would reward his political cronies with crooked government contracts. Why else do you suppose they write those checks?
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/22/reading.first.ap/index.html
This is easily the most crooked and corrupt administration in history. Even surpassing the Teapot Dome administration.
There are dozens of reasons for not voting Republican. This is just one of them.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:25 pm#63 Terry….
Hate the game…Don’t hate the player!
So, you got beat by me today, T-time? Big deal! Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try harder next time…
By the way, “Exliar?” How long did it take you to come up with THAT gem???
Take care.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:27 pm#68 I’m willing to submit my posts to the opinion of the other posters on that thread – are you? Didn’t think so. You sir, are a pathological liar.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:33 pm#70, Terry…
T-Mobile, my postings on the are there for everyone else to see, just like yours…
But don’t be down, Triple-T…Just use today as motivation to learn your facts a little better. Okay?
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:41 pmit’s not just the elementary grades… it’s the whole spectrum…
education in america is in a severe decline…
Measuring Up 2006 consists of the national report card for higher education and fifty state report cards. Its purpose is to provide the public and policymakers with information to assess and improve postsecondary education in each state.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:55 pm…
http://measuringup.highereducation.org/default.cfm
…
Come on, is anyone surprised by the findings of this internal review? A federally funded educational program “marred” by corruption, scandal, poor execution, and poor results? Ya don’t say….
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:24 pm#62 Walt
Thanks Walt! I sent off a resume. I don’t care about the normal fringe benefits but I did ask the good Reverend if the WWS&C (wine, women, song, and ciggys) were provided so that I could maintain the image.
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:27 pmRoger,
You forgot ONE THING!!!
You must place a CAP on the corrupt SCHOOL BOARDS and people who run them. For too long, people that run these schoold boards pay themselves enormous amounts of money for basically doing nothing!!!
I would Cap them at 100k, and then tier the teachers to a salary that is 15-20% above the COLA for the area. Then I would attach BONUSES to key performance indicators, and the childern would be tested yearly, without any direct reflection on the staff…
The savings could be used for computers, books, and security measures that would protect our kids…
But, I can BET that ole DUMBYA will have something dismissive to say about it, only reflecting and highlighting the need to have someone with common sense leading this nation again! It is apparent that the C he received in Harvard was a well paid investment by Dad. Because, althought he was taught, he did not ascend into an intelligent being…
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:49 pmIn real competitive market system that require playing by rules, these jokers couldn’t cut it. George Bush is prime example. Anything he has tried by himself met nothing but failures. Only success he obtained is by using his father’s legacy. In fact, handed down millionaires really didn’t contribute anything substantial to development of our economy or our society. Only now, they are so arrogant that they commit crimes openly because no one will hold them accountable. It is so said what our country and its citizens have become.
September 22nd, 2006 at 7:08 pmExley, was that really you? Dismantle the Department of Edumucation? K, you are officially an idiot.
September 22nd, 2006 at 10:46 pmBush traded Sosa. If he had a brain he would have just fed him HGH.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:51 pmBush giving billions of tax dollars to politicial cronies. Who could have seen that coming?
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:17 am