Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Mission Creep in Charleston County Schools

What next? Free couples' counseling? Braces? Taxi fare? Somehow the Charleston County School District has gotten into its head that it must provide social services. [See Fund Will Offer Help in Crises.]

Much more interesting is the genesis of the fund at present supervised by Superintendent McGinley, a fund that contains $13,000. She said she "sometimes receives donations from community members, and the district receives rebates from vendors based on its volume purchasing."[boldface added]

Are we to assume that such money just started coming in to the school district? Does anyone else wonder what has been done with such monies in the past and by whom? People just habitually hand the superintendent money willy-nilly, no strings attached?

And "volume purchasing" of what? Has the district received "rebates" previously? Why aren't they returned to the original account from which those vendors are paid?

Thirteen thousand dollars to send flowers, buy bus tickets, outfit children--these fall under "unique, catastrophic or emergency situations," according to Chief Financial Officer Bobby.

Says Superintendent McGinley, "We have to be good human beings and take care of people in dire need . . . . When tragedy strikes, we'd like to offer some help. There's always a need to reach out and help people in need."

How about donating money to the local Red Cross?

How about focusing on education?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm just ready to buy a chicken dinner as suggested by our newly elected school board member Chris Collins in an effort to raise money for more vocational programs. Can we say turnip truck, boys and girls?
How did Toya and Gregg keep that smile off their faces? Promises from Joe, Joe, Joe...

Anonymous said...

Aren't we foaming at the mouth today.