Another school educator scandal

[nitpicker]

https://www.fbi.gov/houston/press-releases/2015/former-beaumont-isd-assistant-superintendent-guilty-of-federal-charges

Former Beaumont ISD Assistant Superintendent Guilty of Federal Charges

U.S. Attorney’s Office
December 28, 2015

BEAUMONT, TX—A former Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) Assistant Superintendent pleaded guilty today to federal charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today. Patricia Adams Lambert, 61, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and conspiracy to submit false statements concerning standardized test scores today before U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.

(snip), she was assigned to Central Medical Magnet High School (“CMMHS” or “Central”) as Principal. As Principal of Central, Lambert was responsible for oversight of the campus; managing personnel; ensuring proper reporting of grades, testing, and attendance to BISD administration; and financial oversight for certain aspects of the campus. (snip) Through words and actions, Lambert created a culture at CMMHS among the faculty and staff where cheating on standardized tests was accepted. Lambert, either directly or indirectly, encouraged teachers and staff to manipulate students’ standardized test scores or had knowledge that cheating occurred. Despite the fact that she knew that cheating was occurring on standardized tests, she signed and submitted Oaths of Test Security, including one in January of 2010, as alleged in the indictment, where she falsely affirmed all the requirements governing standardized test security were met.
(snip)

In October 2007, Lambert took over control of the CMMHS “All Sports” Booster Club from the parent/volunteers who previously ran the Booster Club. From that point forward, Lambert had access to Booster Club funds by way of the Booster Club checking account.
(snip)
In addition, during the relevant time period in the indictment, Lambert also had access to the CMMHS Student Activity funds account. From 2007 through 2013 Lambert purchased items, some of which were for her personal use or the use of her family members, and other items not related to school activities, by writing checks on the CMMHS Student Activity funds checking account.
(snip)
Additionally, from 2007 through 2013, Lambert employed her son, Brian Collins, as the primary “printer” (snip) knowing full well that Collins, rather than doing any actual printing work, was securing the services of an actual printing business, and marking up the price for that work anywhere from 25 percent—215 percent.

During the years Lambert was principal at CMMHS, the school generated significant amounts of cash through various means.
(snip) Between 2007 and 2012, Lambert made regular and substantial cash deposits into her personal bank accounts, totaling approximately $171,525.
(snip)

[Downwinder]

1. Sounds like a Charter School operation.

But Charters are Corporations, they have limited liability.

[jmowreader]

2. Beaumont Independent School District is the public school system in Beaumont

http://www.greatschools.org/texas/beaumont/beaumont-independent-school-district/

They're not doing so hot: Great Schools gives them a 4 on a 1-10 scale.

[Dustlawyer]

3. BISD has had huge scandals and been gutted. New elections finished off the corrupt

cronyism for now, until the new people are entrenched and start anew. A guy I went to law school with was right in the middle of exposing it and filing civil suits. He uncovered the dirt and then the Feds stepped in.

It was voted the worst District in the country or something like it. It has been recovering slowly, but attitudes towards the District have been improving with all of the convictions.

[Grins]

4. Make her the next Secretary of Education?

Former president, George Drinksalot, would have. And did.

Remember Rod Paige, Bush's choice to head Education in 2001 because of his "Houston Miracle"? The "miracle" that turned out to be...more conservative bullshit?

"The claims catapulted Houston's superintendent, Rod Paige, to Washington as education secretary and made Texas a model for the country. <Let that one sink in for a moment...> ...But an examination of the performance of students in Houston by The New York Times raises serious doubts about the magnitude of those gains. Scores on a national exam that Houston students took alongside the Texas exam from 1999 to 2002 showed much smaller gains and falling scores in high school reading.

Compared with the rest of the country, Houston's gains ...were modest. The improvements in middle and elementary school were a fraction of those depicted by the Texas test and were similar to those posted on the Stanford test by students in Los Angeles.

Over all, a comparison of the performance of Houston students ... showed most did not advance in relation to their counterparts across the nation. More than half of them either remained in the same place or lost ground in reading and math."

Paige should have been fired immediately or resigned. Neither happened. The Worst President Evar™! looked the other way.

Texas. Republicans. Bah!

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/03/us/a-miracle-revisited-measuring-success-gains-in-houston-schools-how-real-are-they.html

[roody]

5. If you want to call a superintendent

an educator.