Comments on: Deep cuts, lavish spending

By: Robert R Whitford

Robert R Whitford — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:32:43 +0000

I feel the Perata Community College Council, Should be ashamed of themselves, for their obvious lack of concern for the Community and students they serve. Your lavish personal expenses are obscene, and a blight on the definition as advocate to education, if you truly were concerened with the students, and their education, you would consider reducing not only your exspenses, but also your board members, and their salaries. I challenge this Council, put your money where your mouth is!

By: Public School Fan

Public School Fan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:19:11 +0000

Thanks, Katy, for providing the link to the Peralta College travel scandal. Just reinforces the belief that some things in this city never change.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:57:33 +0000

I linked to only one of the Sunday stories on Peralta colleges, but you can access the others from the same page.

And yes, there was quite a big international travel controversy a few years ago at Peralta involving Elihu Harris and others. Here’s one Tribune article, from 2005:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20050915/ai_n15808882/

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:59:49 +0000

Deaf,dumb and blind is what we are. This happens at all levels of politics, and schools are that -political arenas. OUSD, ACOE, CDE, and the feds all spend money like its it-guess what? Not their own.

How much does OUSD pay for consultants?

By: Nextset

Nextset — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:38:10 +0000

You know it’s not stealing if they do it openly with board approval. Why are we surprised at lavish spending by such people? As far as they are concerned they (the board) can rationalize the credit card issuance and the spending on those cards.

A more prudent policy would be to cancel all the credit cards and tell the board to use their own cards if they have any, and submit claims for reimbursement which can be discussed and voted on at every board meeting.

But that’s not going to happen.

We only have the local news media to keep these politicians honest. And the election cycle to reign them in. Katy, please print a list of the board members credit card charges – for all the board.

By: Public School Fan

Public School Fan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:51:17 +0000

I don’t think this is anything new. Wasn’t it just several years ago when higher-ups at the College were travelling all over the world and billing it to taxpayers? I seem to remember stories in the papers about this. Wish I could recall all of the details. The wonder to all of this and to many of Oakland’s problems is why we continue to put up with this profligate, irresponsible behavior over and over and over. This city and its citizens seems to bend over backward to find excuses for such conduct. This city has a real problem with holding administrators and others in charge accountable for their conduct. The name of Oakland should be spelled, “cronyism.”

By: Oakland Teacher

Oakland Teacher — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:23:37 +0000

It is outrageous that during the era of the biggest cuts to the Peralta Community College system, funds are being used frivolously by its so called leader. The articles in Sunday’s paper were far more damning. I hope Peralta students read the articles and demand for resignation(s).

By: seenitbefore

seenitbefore — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:24:57 +0000

More waste at the top. But of course…. cutting direct services to students is how we must balance the budget.

Shameful.