Here's Something You Don't See Everyday

I consider myself something of a radical moderate politically, so I'm always reading stuff from both sides of the aisle. As I scan Kentucky's blogs, 'bout every day, I always catch Page One Kentucky (on the left) and the Bluegrass Institute (on the right). I can generally count on them to disagree, so I'm not quite sure what to think about their take on yesterday's news.

Has love come to the Commonwealth?

This from Jacob Payne at Page One Kentucky:

New Ed Commish Just Picked: The least embarrassing candidate was picked to head Kentucky schools, it seems. Terry Holliday was just named commissioner.... Here’s hoping he doesn’t throw money around like Jon Draud. And that he does right by Kentucky. Based on everything we’ve heard about him - despite not being a Kentuckian - we just may be in good hands. And he just might be worth that $225K salary.

From Jake, this is high praise, indeed.

Then I saw this...from Dick Innes at the Bluegrass Policy Blog:

Holliday brings some impressive accomplishments to the job...

I talked about Holliday with a newspaper staffer who serves the Iredell-Statesville school district area in North Carolina about a week ago. About the only complaints against Holliday seem to be from some teachers who claim Holliday made them work harder...As a North Carolina educator, he is intimately familiar with value added assessment programs. That is what we needed, but never got, from our now disbanded CATS assessments. As we rework CATS, Holliday’s background could be of inestimable value to that process.

This time, our Kentucky Board of Education might just have got it right. We look forward to meeting Dr. Holliday and watching what he can do for Kentucky.

Why Superintendents Don't Punch a Time Clock

There is no simple formula for becoming an effective superintendent of schools and the turnover rate reflects the difficulty of the position. Some folks say that the job cannot be done well due to politics, financial constraints, and time demands.

The superintendent of schools is a crucial and influential position but one that is not well-understood. This stems from its history. Rarely has a position of such importance grown in such a tangled way.

In the schools of my youth (think 50s & 60's) "the superintendent had little external interference in conducting the work of the school district and boards became secondary in the operations of the school districts. The role of the board of education was, in large part, to support and approve the work of the superintendent." In those days, many superintendents simply came to the office, did "their job" and went home.

That has all changed.

School districts of today are big businesses within their local communities, hiring hundreds and in the case of Jefferson County, 13,000 employees and spending millions of tax dollars. And superintendents make most of the major decisions affecting their districts.

As Paul D Houston understood,

Although it is not clear what the role will become in the future, it seems certain that uncertainty will be the hallmark of the job. That will require a different set of expectations for those entering the profession. The new imperative that "all children be taught" will call for greater educational leadership from the superintendent.

Further, the uncertain political climate that now surrounds schools will require the superintendent to be proficient in politics and the art of persuasion. Much of the work will revolve around the ability to create and maintain relationships. The modern superintendent will not be a superintendent of schools whose job is to oversee and manage–he or she will be a superintendent of learning who will have to navigate an uncertain terrain with skill and finesse.

This job isn't likely to be done well in solitude. As Susan Weston opined recently,

From watching strong administrators, I'm used to the idea that they travel. They go to meetings where they learn and contribute to other people learning. That's how they get strong and stay strong. It's part of how the profession works.

Most of that travel happens in-state, but it makes sense to me that the head of our largest district would do more national things, and a leader hired from Massachusetts might have some ongoing commitments in the Boston area.

So what do we make of Jefferson County Superintendent Sheldon Berman's travels? ...and why do I care about a story that I'm not sure really is a story? I'm not sure I know.


I kinda backed into this story accidentally. It evolved out of a concern that I had erronerously misreported some related information. By the time I checked and corrected, the story moved on from conflict of interest, to impropriety, and now to how much travel Sheldon Berman did over the past two years. It's about time for KSN&C to move on too.

The level of travel being discussed over the past two years of Berman's 260-day annual calendar certainly doesn't alarm me. But my opinion counts for zip in this matter. It is the opinion of citizens in Louisville that matter here as represented through their board of education.


What kind of school district leadership do those citizens envision as being best for Jefferson County children? One that builds networks in order to secure the resources necessary to help the students? Or an insular "stay at home" superintendent?

My guess is the former.

But in any case, there ought to be some consensus on how many days we're talking about. So far there isn't.

At Page One, Jake counts "a total of 18 missed work days for non-JCPS-related meetings... throughout the school year."

Berman tells KSN&C, that over a two year period, at most it should have "calculated to about 9 days out of the district rather than 18."

Here's the play by play which includes written responses sent ot KSN&C from Berman:

PageOne: On Friday, December 14th, 2007 he attended the Campaign for Civic Mission of Schools Steering Committee in Washington, D.C. Meaning he could have traveled to D.C. on the Thursday before missing a total of two days of work for the meeting.

Berman: CMS, Friday, December 14, 2007: I flew out to DC on 6:30 am flight and returned that evening at 10 pm, the meeting took only one rather than the two days Jake indicates.

Score: Pg1 = 2 Berman = 1

PageOne: On Thursday & Friday, January 10th & 11th, 2008 he attended the National Center for Learning and Citizenship Board meeting in Denver. If he traveled on Wednesday, he missed three days of work.

Berman: NCLC, Thursday and Friday, January 10-11, 2008: I did a presentation to JCPS athletic directors on the morning of the 10th and left for Denver on a 11 am flight. I returned the evening of the 11th because I had meetings at Central High School on Saturday morning. So this is actually less than two days away instead of the three Jake assumes.

Score: Pg1 = 5; Berman = <3>

PageOne: On Monday, May 19th, 2008 he attended the Center for Applied Special Technology Board meeting in Boston. If he traveled back to Louisville on Tuesday, that’s two days of work.

Berman: CAST, Monday, May 19, 2008: I flew to Hudson on Saturday morning because I spoke at the GED graduation on Friday evening. I attended the Monday meeting which ended around 7 pm. I flew back early the next morning and was back at work before 11 am on Tuesday. Since I tend to work late, I think I put in a full day on Tuesday. So, that's one day rather than 2 Jake indicates.

Score: Pg1 = 7; Berman = <4

PageOne: On Monday, June 2nd, 2008 he attended the Educators for Social Responsibility Spring 2008 Board meeting in Boston. Back on Tuesday, that’s two days of work.

Berman: ESR, Monday, June 2, 2008: I left Louisville on Friday afternoon to visit with my family for the weekend. The meeting was Monday. I flew back to Louisville Monday night. That's one day of meetings rather than 2 as Jake indicates.

Score: Pg1 = 9; Berman = <5

PageOne: On Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 he attended the National Center for Learning and Citizenship Board meeting in Austin, Texas. If he traveled to Austin on Monday and returned home on Wednesday, that’s three days of work missed.

Berman: NCLC, Tuesday, July 1, 2008: I flew to Austin on Monday, June 30 for a meeting of ECS's 100 District leaders that afternoon. I attended the NCLC meeting on the 1st and returned on the morning of the 2nd and was back at work at 1 pm. Since it is an honor to be selected as one of the 100 district leaders, I'm not sure how to calculate the time on this one. It was two and half days out of the district.

Score: Pg1 = 12; Berman 7

PageOne: On Thursday, September 25th, 2008 he attended the Center for Applied Special Technology Board meeting in Wakefield, Massachusetts. There on Wednesday, back on Friday = three days of work.

Berman: CAST, Thursday, September 25, 2008: [I worked in the office all day on the 24th and flew out that evening.] I took September 26 as a vacation day and returned on Sunday. One day.

Score: Pg1 = 15; Berman = 8

PageOne: And on Thursday, January 22nd he again attended a Center for Applied Special Technology Board meeting in Wakefield. Another possible three days of in-district work missed.

Berman: CAST, Thursday, January 22, 2009: I flew out on the morning of the 22nd and began my meetings at CAST around noon. The meeting ended around 7 pm, making it impossible for me to fly back that evening. I took the 23rd as a work day at home since I had a lot of writing and miscellaneous work to catch up on and my kids were at school all day. I visited my family in Hudson for the weekend and returned on Sunday. One day.

Score: Pg1 = 18; Berman = 9

Whos' right? You be the judge.

I was hoping include comments from a couple of JCPS board of edcation members - to see if any of them are concerned - but I haven't hear back from members today and decided to go ahead and print what I had.

Is anyone else finding it hard to blog during finals week?

The Felner Chronicles

The Racine Post listed a series of Felner stories last week. The now infamous former UofL Education Dean Robert Felner -- who was trying to get out of town (and into a new funding stream, perhaps) was appointed Chancellor at UW-Parkside but was forced to resigned before his investiture.

The Post's "cautionary tale" has been significantly expanded by KSN&C to include more of Felner's collateral damage.

Felner case may bring U of L new scrutiny on grants Oct 26
Felner Stink Sticks to Deasy Oct 25
Sifting the Ashes as UofL Oct 24
Felner in handcuffs: The Money Shot Oct 23
Reaction to Schroeder indictment in Illinois Oct 23
Felner and Schroeder Indicted Oct 22
INDICTED! He pleads innocent Oct 22
UofL President James Ramsey's Statement on the Indictment of Robert Felner Oct 22
Deasy's Easy Degree raises questions about Doctoral Quality Oct 3
Louisville Grad Students Uneasy about Felner Investigation Oct 2
Another U of L Instant Degree For Sale? Sept 26
Ramsey's PR Campaign Continues Sept 25
Deasy has Resume Errors. Ray & Associates was on the Job Sept 24
Ramsey got Felner's assurance. Now we get Stone's Sept 19
Don’t say the f word Sept 17
Felner Attny Defends Deasy's Instant Doctorate Sept 17
Ramsey says U of L broke no rules on disputed doctorate Sept 13
It's Time to Begin the Search for U of L's Next President Sept 12
SACS, NCATE Look Into U of L Accreditation Problems Sept 12
Was the Price of a Ph.D. at the U. of Louisville 9 Credits and a $375,000 Grant? Sept 11
Probed: The four-month PhD Sept 10
U of L's Integrity on the line Sept 10
Deasy Blames U of L Sept 10
Accountability for John Deasy Sept 10
Need a Doctorate? Hire Felner. Let him Chair your Committee Sept 9
At Last: The Ville's Ramsey apologizes over Felner incident Sept 6
Change agent, class clown or criminal? Sept 3
21 Former U of L Faculty complain of inaction on Felner Sept 3
University distances itself from earlier compliments paid Felner Aug 31
Ramsey Tosses the Faculty a Bone Aug 30
C-J smacks Ramsey, Willihnganz and Porter Aug 29
Felner’s follies - Former U of L dean Robert Felner racked up grievances, not grants Aug 29
UW-Parkside: WHEW! He's not our problem! Aug 27
Felner Update: U of L funds used to keep Rhode Island center afloat Aug 21
A trail of outrage
Feds: More 'threads' probed Aug 13
U of L's Felner tried to get more funding, investigation reveals Aug 10
Lack of Oversight of Felner Conflicts Compromises Research Integrity at U of L Aug 9
U of L grant checks end up in local bank Aug 7
Charge it! he said ($31,000 worth) Aug 4
Emails detail fraud, collusion, fear of IRS and much, much more! July 28
Felner and Schroeder's Sweetheart Deal July 28
Felner Attny hints at Schroeder involvement July 27
Felner: Anatomy of a Fraud? July 26
31 Felner Grievances not typical...so only 4 count? July 22
A Letter from Ramsey and Willihnganz July 21
Felner Pal got Bulk of Money July 20
UofL president raps 'anonymous crap' July 17
33 Grievances = Excellence at U of L July 17
FOI brings stack of grievances July 14
That $694,000 grant was for us? July 10
Grant money went to fake company? VIDEO July 10
Grant monitoring ignored -- VIDEO July 9
The Grievance King July 7
Feds widen probe July 7
He was crime victim, too July 2
UW System finger-pointing July 1
Retaliated against critics July 1
Troubles began in '80s at C-U June 30
Try this, Unified and UW-P! June 27
THE NEVERENDING STORY June 26
Withdraws before taking office June 24

Hat tip to Page One.

Shout Out to Jake at Page One

A big thanks to Jacob Payne for being the fly in the ointment of Robert Felner, and unfortunately by extension, U of L President James Ramsey.

For the first time the Courier-Journal and other news sources are reporting that the alleged fraud ranges in the millions of dollars. Jake reported that months ago.

But it's hard to know what standards of verification bloggers use, especially when reporting unattributed matters where folks don't want to be quoted on the record - a major and necessary hang up for the mainstream media - which explains why C-J was so slow to report the extent of the fraud.

So we had to wait for the official processes to tick away before knowing whether Page One's reporting could be trusted. In the end, clearly, it could be trusted.

I'm not sure that explains why C-J was so slow to pick up the story to begin with. Was it homegrown protectionism? Was it a lack of news-gathering resources? Something else?

It was unfortunate that Ramsey and Provost Shirley Willihnganz were so protective of such a renown jackass as Felner. They clearly paid too much attention to the man behind the curtain. There's a big lesson in there somewhere.

Better would have been a strong response from Ramsey that upheld the best ethical principles at U of L and assured his commitment to discover and correct whatever nefarious individuals may have done to tarnish the reputation of this fine institution. Instead he chose a type of blind loyalty that allowed him to gaze fixedly at U S News and World Report rankings while ignoring all of the smoke - until there was a fully-stoked blaze.

It is obvious from internal emails that university leadership was caught totally off guard by the incident. They were slow on the uptake and chose to go totally defensive in their public relations responses - a move Ramsey later regretted and apologized for. Many U of L faculty were dismissed as malcontents and some called for Ramsey's head.

It seems clear from the public comments that the U of L trustees have accepted Ramsey's explanations and seem to want to go forward with him at the helm. I am told by some who know and respect him, that he is much more capable than this sorry episode would lead one to believe. Ramsey did respond belatedly with a series of efforts to relook the obvious problems uncovered by the whole affair.

It's now up to the citizens (and I suppose, the Governor) to decide if the trustee's handling of this mess was OK with them.

It is not clear that accountability, beyond what lies in "Dr Feloner's" future, will extend to any of his lieutenants - or to what degree the trustees may have formally "evaluated" the situation.

One would hope new Dean Blake Hesselton has his dustpan out for a little house cleaning. I guess we'll have to wait for that as well.

But here we have yet another situation where "the press" (including citizen journalists like Jake) is threatened and painted as the bad guy for reporting "unattributed lies" that turn out to be the truth.

Good job, Jake.

Also a big thanks to Adam Walser at WHAS (and Mark Hebert for catching the definitive Ramsey quote) and the Courier-Journal. You can't ignore that big megaphone the mainstream media wields, and after a slow start both outlets did a fine job of elevating the story to its proper place as the lead story and on the front page.

Felner and Schroeder Indicted for Mail Fraud

In a 1 pm press conference U.S. Attorney Dave Huber lowered the boom on Former U of L Education Dean Robert Felner and Thomas Schroeder.

This from C-J:

...Felner has been indicted on charges of fraudulently obtaining nearly $2.3 million in grant money from University of Louisville and University of Rhode Island.

A federal grand jury in Louisville charged Felner, 58, with 10 counts of mail fraud, money-laundering conspiracy and income-tax evasion.

The 45-page indictment says that Felner and Thomas Schroeder, 58, of Illinois, took $1.7 million from the Rhode Island school and about $576,000 from U of L, and attempted to embezzle another $240,000 from U of L.

Felner, who resigned from U of L earlier this year, also allegedly failed to report $1.6 million in income from 2002 to 2007 and allegedly owes $500,000 in federal taxes, U.S. Attorney Dave Huber said in a news release.

Page One Kentucky attended the press conference and posted notes, including...

• Felner squandered millions upon millions of dollars and opened several bank accounts to handle the money.
• Felner's bank accounts and other assets were seized. U of L lost some money. U Rhode Island funds were lost.
• Felner's scam included contracting for work, and retaining funds to which he was not entitled. That income was not reported on his taxes.
• Huber believes they can show the extent of the fraud and the participants.
• He doesn’t see anything else coming at this point but refused to say that nothing else would come down the pike. (Jake says we're not done yet.)
• Arrest warrants are out.

This from the Providence Journal:

The indictment follows a five-month federal investigation by the Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Service for alleged misappropriation of federal grants while Felner was dean at the University of Louisville's College of Education and Human Development, the job he took after he left URI in June 2003.

Federal agents visited URI several times, looking into his involvement in a research center he established on the Kingston campus in the late 1990s, the National Center on Public Education and Social Policy...

...Last month, URI officials said they were inspecting the finances of a research center founded by Felner on the Kingston campus: The National Center on Public
Education and Social Policy, which Felner established at URI in the late 1990s.

According to a summary of the indictment against Felner, he and Schroeder are
accused of embezzling $1.7 million from NCPE.

NCPE was a self-funded entity that generated income by surveying and assessing high schools, grade schools, and middle schools, the summary said. NCPE generally charged each school about $4,500. Its largest contract was with the Rhode Island Department of Education.

The two are also accused of diverting payments from clients in other states to private bank accounts.

Schroeder is executive director at the Rock Island County Council on Addiction and president of the Riverdale Community Unit School District No. 100 Board of Education.

Press conference video from C-J:

Recent funnies...from the Louisville Satrical Digest:

Battlelines Drawn in the Ville: U of L goes after Page One

Page One Kentucky's

Publication of "incorrect information"

about Donor's Degree Program Cited

The sabre rattling that began last week has escalated as the University of Louisville fired a shot across the bow of "the messenger" of bad tidings. Page One has responded on its pages with invitations and promises to defend itself.

This U of L press release from...you guessed it - Page One:

Sept. 26, 2008 Contact: John Drees
502-553-9793
John.drees@louisville.edu

UofL outraged at release of student records
Information on Internet blog is incorrect, possibly illegal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Louisville has learned that a local internet blog has printed incorrect information about a degree program and a student’s academic career.

The university expressed its concern at the release of the records, which may violate the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

"The University takes seriously its obligation to protect our students’ records and privacy," said University Provost Shirley Willihnganz. "We are outraged that anyone would violate that trust."

The program in question, the Bachelor of Science in Workforce Leadership, is offered through the university’s College of Education and Human Development. It is designed to allow mid- to advanced-career level working professionals to receive academic credit for their workplace learning experiences. In addition, students complete a program of core competencies with a concentration in workplace performance, career and technical education or executive development.

Two hundred thirty eight students currently participate in the program.

The degree program was created in response to a request from the Council on Postsecondary Education and has been praised by Greater Louisville Inc. and Kentuckiana Works as a model program that will help the commonwealth reach its 2020 goal of doubling the number of college graduates.

"This program clearly benefits the community, which has asked us to develop programs that will help in workforce development. And it benefits hundreds of individuals who wish to further their education," Willihnganz said.

More information on the degree is available at: http://louisville.edu/education/degrees/exec-perform.html

Jake Payne responded today at Page One saying,

...If there was major concern, why didn’t John Drees return telephone calls? Why didn’t Shirley Willihnganz email us directly? We have worked with her in the past and have communicated via email.

We have reviewed the leaked information we published time and time again. We can find no super-private confidential information. There are no grades, no specifics. Just communication among University of Louisville employees discussing ways to fake a degree by doing all the portfolio work for a major donor.

This is called damage control and it’s ridiculous.

Payne had previously called for an legislative investigation of events surrounding former Dean Robert Felner, his shady dealings with federal grant money, and an apparent sweetheart deal that granted a doctorate to Superintendent John Deasy, and now, major donor Lewis "Sonny" Bass.

Page One continues to Spank C-J on Felner

About a month ago now...Page One Kentucky broke the U of L investigation story and its connection to Education Dean Robert Felner. In his first post he offered to turn over information and help the anyone, including the mainstream media, as much as possible.

Heck, If I hadn't been teaching two summer courses at the time, I'd have jumped on that offer myself. It was clear from the start that this was going to be an unusual story. So, I thank Jake for his tenacity.

Since that time he has been collaborating with out-of-town reporters and posting new stories.

WHAS soon got on board, but C-J was late to the party. C-J has done better since and added some real value to the story, but Jake complains that they still don't understand (or refuse to acknowledge) the scope of the story.

Jake finds the C-Js treatment "highly suspicious,"

The entire Courier-Journal editorial board is now spreading the myth that the federal investigation into Robert Felner’s activities is only about a $694,000 federal grant. Myth/lie/whatever. It’s not the truth. Law enforcement tells us otherwise. The mainstream media in other states tell us otherwise.

This investigation is huge and federal agents have been on multiple college campuses in several states. It’s not only $694K that they’re after. Just yesterday The Journal Times reported that the investigation involved millions. So it’s not a stretch to expect our local paper of record to get the facts correct.

But the C-J seems content piling on the dishonesty or being ill-informed. This needs to stop. Immediately.

This from C-J:

The Felner affair

Certainly, the University of Louisville will have to account for its stewardship in what may have been the mishandling of a $694,000 federal grant. However, there's more to the controversy surrounding former Dean Robert Felner's time at the College of Education and Human Development.

With federal investigators on the case, President James Ramsey says U of L is reviewing the way it oversees such funds. That's checking the barn door after the horse has bolted, but better late than never.

What makes this so poignant is that the grant was supposed to help improve student achievement, but neither state nor local school folks knew much of anything about it.
Few goals are as important to Louisville's future as the continuing development of a public school system that meets the needs of all students, in all parts of town.

Squandering any resources that could be used in that effort is really lousy.

The irony is that any mistakes in money management were made on the watch of Dr. Ramsey -- an expert in budget matters. The good news is that, if anybody knows how to improve financial oversight, he should.

But problems were not just financial. A striking number of grievances and complaints from faculty and students were filed against Dr. Felner, who lost a faculty confidence vote, 27-24. While saying the university took all of this seriously, Dr. Ramsey interprets it as evidence that Dr. Felner "was bringing about change that needed to be made." But there's a difference between changing menus and breaking plates.

Dr. Ramsey's evidence that Dr. Felner was getting things done includes the college's rise in national rankings over the last two years. But then U.S. News & World Report's lists are taken with a grain of salt by academic experts.

He also cites an increase in grants and a stronger relationship with local public schools. But an independent campus group -- maybe an American Association of University Professors committee, including tenured faculty who can't be easily dismissed or marginalized -- should take its own look, not only at the rankings issue but at the other complaints that have been lodged, formally and informally, and into the U of L administration's response.

These are serious issues, and must not be dismissed as the backwash of change.

Courier-Journal: Missing in Action

The Robert Felner story continues to grow with allegations of substantial wrongdoing now being made. The story involves public money; shadow organizations; and failure to report; and future repercussions for the University of Louisville - one of the state's most important public universities.

I see Page One Kentucky, which broke the story a while back.
I see WHAS TV 11.
I even see the little bitty Kenosha News.

But, where oh where has the Courier-Journal gone?

Page One says Nancy Rodriguez "sounded really nervous" when she assured them that she wasn't being silenced on the Felner story.

Yet...nothing ...but silence.

I wonder why.

Felner's No Confidence Vote

A while back, there was a "no confidence vote" taken at the College of Education at the Ville. This was fairly well known in higher ed circles. Felner has been described by some as a "street fighter." Agree with him and all is well. Disagree, and he'll take your knees out from under you.

Yesterday, Felner's attorney, Scott Cox, apparently said on WHAS11’s 5:00 P.M. newscast that everything on the internet was filled with “misinformation,” essentially saying that Page One Kentucky's reporting was not to be trusted.

Well. that must have hacked off Jake a bit...so he published the minutes from that meeting.

The faculty cited stuff like this:

Public humiliation of faculty, work place harassment, retaliation for voicing opinions, little or no governance, decisions that hurt College, unacceptable and unfair hiring practice; rude, offensive, unethical behavior by CEHD representatives; denial of support for research to those who differ in opinion; and extreme inequity of pay.

Yes = 27; No = 24; Abstained = 2; Motion passed

More minutes at Page One.

Felner: Federal investigation leads to resignation

More from KenoshaNews.com, and Photo (Robert Felner answers questions during a May 5 visit to Kenosha.)

...David Giroux, a UW System spokesman, who earlier Monday said talks of resignation were premature, told the Kenosha News Tuesday evening that Felner offered his resignation Sunday when he informed the university about the investigation. He declined to say if UW President Kevin Reilly asked for the resignation first, but indicated that any investigation would hinder Felner's Parkside position.

Giroux said Reilly wanted to look into the matter for a couple of days before formally accepting the resignation."I'll just say he offered the resignation and the resignation was accepted," Giroux said.

"We came to believe it was in the best interest of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside to move into a different direction, and we are doing that now. We have a campus that has ambitions for the future and is focused on strong leadership. Anyone in Dr. Felner's position would be hard pressed to give that focus."

According to a report on Page One Kentucky, an online news blog, Felner was packing up his office in Louisville Friday when federal investigators swarmed in to cart away computers and paperwork from his office and other areas of the College of Education. The blog said federal agents escorted Felner to the bathroom and out of the building...

Thanks Jake. You da Man on this one.

Feds Raid U of L College of Education ?

This shocker from Jake over at Page One Kentucky:

Remember that mysterious investigation at the University of Louisville that popped up last week? The one where TV crews flooded UofL’s campus only to report that they didn’t know anything? The investigation that the U.S. Attorney’s office admits is taking place? ...

We know the offices that investigators were in were those of College of Education officials.

Specifically, the office of Robert Felner, Dean of the school. (view Felner’s massive curriculum vitae here.) Felner, whose last day coincided with the arrival of investigators (conveniently after all of his boxes were packed and he was ready to jet), controls a massive No Child Left Behind grant worth about $12.5 million....

Governor Lifts Blog Ban

Jake over at Page One Kentucky heard a rumor:

"We hear through the upper-level grapevine that Governor Steve Beshear and COT are removing the block on blogs for state employees beginning this afternoon."

Good. I hope the good folks at KDE find KSN&C informative and thought-provoking.
~
A Shout Out to Jacob:

Hey Jake! The book arrived and looks great. It is next in line after my buddy Rick Robinson's book.

I won !!!! Thanks to Page One Kentucky

The guys over at PageOneKentucky had a little contest recently and my name was plucked from the hat.

Accordingly, I am to receive an autographed copy of Bryan Bush's soon-to-be-released book, Butcher Burbridge from Acclaim Press. Thanks to Jacob Payne and the folks at PageOne.

In recent years I have read a lot of Kentucky history, albeit, largely education history. I was always taken by John Ed Pierce's assertion that Kentucky, neutral during the Civil War, joined the losers after the loss. This curious circumstance was in reaction to the hardships borne during reconstruction in the state. I suspect this dumfounding notion may become clearer to me through Bush's work.

General Stephen Burbridge is associated with the despised "Order 59" which ordered the death of four Confederates for every Yankee killed in the state at the hands of southern guerillas. Bush recounts Burbridge's confiscation of property, and the suspension of Constitutional rights and habes corpus during his reign of terror over Kentucky.

I'm looking forward to the read.