The Education Commissioner that could have been

The Kentucky Board of Education is still on the fast track to replace almost-Commissioner Barbara Erwin. The board promises to correct past failings and fully vet the next group of finalists. Good for them.

I'm not crazy about the board's effort to find a new commissioner in the fall of the year - especially not on the eve of a gubernatorial election. But let's hope there are still qualified candidates in the mix, who have not been driven off by the months of missteps, empty proclamations and uncertain direction. Let's hope the board's judgment will improve as their process improves.

Let's hope.

Life with Barbie

Another glimpse into what life might have been like with Barbara Erwin as Kentucky's Education Commissioner arose this morning in Chicagoland.

As his reelection campaign nears its conclusion, Kane County (Illinois) State's Attorney John Barsanti has launched yet another investigation into alleged "misuse of public funds" surrounding Barbara Erwin's 2004 contract in St Charles. Kentucky School News and Commentary reported on the controversy at the time.

An incredibly credible source in St Charles told KSN&C, in April, that Erwin pressured Human Resources staff to add 85 sick days to her account starting in 2004 - a year earlier than her contract allowed.

The story goes like this: After only a few weeks on the job, new HR director Tony Spahr started getting pressure from Erwin - first orally - then, after he reviewed her contract and refused to add the days - she gave him a memo signed by past board chair James Gaffney, and directed Spahr to add the days again.

Spahr sought legal advice and refused yet again. Erwin suggested he should start looking for work elsewhere - which he ultimately did.

In mid August, former District 303 school board President Bobbie Raehl took to police and county prosecutors a copy of the memo that she says showed “behind-the-scenes business.” Barsanti apparently reponded by offering a seminar to public officials on how to avoid trouble under the Open Meetings Act.

But the tenacious Ms. Raehl persisted.

“Personally, I feel it’s attempted fraud and it’s a violation of the Open Meetings Act,” Raehl said in August.

Gaffney denies writing the one-sentence memo that states that the school board agreed in 2004 to award nearly a year in sick days to its then-superintendent saying, - wait for it - “I didn’t write the memo; I just signed it.” (Ahhhh. I love the sound of lame excuses in the morning. It sounds like...'I didn't present at the conference, but I did sign off on it.')

Now, two months later, Barsanti has apparently decided he has what he needs to proceed.

This from the Daily Herald:

Dist. 303 under investigation again

The Kane County state's attorney has asked the St. Charles school board to turn over closed session materials from 2004 as part of an ongoing investigation into possible wrongdoing.

The probe was prompted by an individual allegation of illegal activity on the board since 2004, State's Attorney John Barsanti said Thursday.

This is the second time this year the county's highest-ranking law enforcement official has investigated such a complaint on the school board. A similar probe led school officials to admit in June that they violated the law in 2005 by approving an administrator's contract extension without a public vote.

On Thursday, Barsanti declined to name a complainant or discuss the nature of the latest investigation.

But former school board president Bobbie Raehl took responsibility for the complaint, saying she specifically asked prosecutors to look into the conduct of her former colleague and current board member Jim Gaffney.

Raehl, who also sparked the earlier investigation this year, said she believes Gaffney tried to use his power as a public official to get extra sick days for former Superintendent Barbara Erwin so she could become vested in the state pension system.

Raehl cites an undated memo bearing Gaffney's signature along with a note to district officials, saying the board agreed to credit Erwin with 340 sick days as part of a contract agreement in 2004, when actually Erwin's sick day allotment was not approved and did not start accumulating until 2005.

"There was an attempt to get (Erwin) vested by Jim (Gaffney)," Raehl said. "It was a misuse and an attempted misuse of public funds."

Gaffney did not return a phone message seeking comment Thursday.

Raehl, who lost her seat to Gaffney in the spring election, said she wanted to report the allegation months ago, but wasn't able to obtain the memo in question until late July. She said she had no choice but to turn it over to authorities. "When it comes to honesty and integrity, there is no room for compromise," Raehl said.

District 303 Superintendent Don Schlomann, who replaced Erwin in July, said the district was cooperating with the state's attorney.

Specifically, the board has been asked for tape recordings of four closed session meetings in early 2004 and minutes from several other closed sessions during the same time frame, he said.

School officials already have given the meeting minutes to investigators, but are still reviewing the legality of turning over tape recordings that may contain student and
employee information that must remain confidential, according to Schlomann.

Barsanti said he hopes to complete the investigation in the coming weeks.

Imagine what might have been...

Keith Travis still chair of the board. Barbara Erwin just completing her first whirlwind tour of the state preaching the social gospel of success as measured (twice) by new testing system. A few defections from the department of education (no reflection of the new commish), quickly replaced by former Erwin buddies. Board members happier than ever with their choice for Commissioner. Then, the other shoe drops.

The board may not have fired her, but it can sure count itself lucky that she quit first.