Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Caution: Keep Bobby Away from Charter School Budgets

Lose your job under a cloud? Who cares if you've got friends in high places?

At least that scenario seems to fit the hiring as a consultant of Michael Bobby, Charleston County School District's disgraced former finance chief and interim superintendent, by Pinnacle Charter School Management Group. Bobby will consult for Pinnacle concerning two S.C. Charter School District schools: Oceanside in McClellanville and Gray Collegiate in Columbia.

For those with short memories, let's recall that 
he resigned in mid-November 2015 shortly after it was revealed that the district had run an $18 million deficit in the 2014-15 fiscal year. The district continued to pay his salary and insurance benefits for six months under the terms of a severance agreement. Auditors have blamed the shortfall on a “lack of basic budgetary control.” They found problems including vastly overestimated revenues; out-of-control spending on employee overtime, substitute teachers and printing; and half a million dollar IRS fee for late filing of tax forms.
Who recommended Bobby? It's a secret. In fact, "S.C. Public Charter School District Chief of Staff Rich Richards said Pinnacle did not ask the district for input on the decision to hire Bobby as a consultant. Pinnacle has a contract with the school, not with the district."

Bobby worked for the district for eight years, yet there's no need to ask if he did a good job?

Go figure.

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