"IB in Danger" in Pearland

On December 21, the Anti-Corruption family received the following e-mail. It had been forwarded around many times before reaching us:

From: xxx
To: xxx@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [xxx] IB in danger
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:13:51 +0000

The School Board is in the process of deciding whether or not the IB program will remain in the Pearland school district. There is talk that there isn't sufficient interest to continue the program. A group of people have come together to promote the IB curriculum and to convince the school board that IB is desired in PISD.The group is called Great Academics for Pearland (GAP) and the web address is www.greatacademics. org.

Come to the next meeting...

7:00pm December 17, 2007

We will look at the IB information presented at the Nov. 27, 2007 PISD School Board Workshop.

We will plan our strategy for a Grassroot to promote our GOALs

We meet in Conference Room D of the PISD ESC Annex Building, 2316 Old Alvin Rd

There will be a school board-parent chat at Alexander Middle School on Dec 18, 2007 from 7:00-8:30. Plan to attend if you'd like to make your thoughts known on the IB program.

OK, first for what I perceive to be a factual inaccuracy. It isn't clear to me what this group means when it says it "promote[s] the IB curriculum". Pearland ISD specifically denies that the IB-PYP is a specific curriculum.

Massey Ranch is pursuing the Primary Years Programme, which is a philosophy of teaching, not a specific program or curriculum. The PYP provides a framework based on best teaching practices for elementary school instruction. Every child on the campus will be a part of PYP as the students are taught to understand the inquiry process. PYP is designed using the “whole school approach”.

Emphasis Added

Quite frankly, I don't know what the International Baccalaureate-PYP is, but it certainly isn't a curriculum. There are several indecipherable phrases in this quote.

"Best Teaching Practices": My experience with Pearland ISD teachers tells me that they already employ outstanding teaching practices. Are Pearland ISD administrators implying that its teachers desperately need to improve their teaching practices? I know of no school, public or private, with better teachers and teaching practices than Pearland ISD.

IB-PYP students are taught to understand the "inquiry process". Again, I don't know what Pearland ISD administrators are trying to say here. I've got to believe that teachers in Pearland ISD have been impressing the importance of the inquiry process on their students for decades. Maybe I just hold teachers in Pearland ISD in higher regard.

What is the "whole school approach"? I've never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed, but this term sounds like education gobbledygook to me. I don't think I'd miss it if it didn't exist. I'm not sure I'd notice if it did exist.

Apparently, the concern about the IB Program in Pearland is its excessive cost. School districts around the country are facing questions about the cost of the IB Program. I've written about opposition over cost at Saginaw Township, Michigan, Glen Cove, New York and Corning - Painted Post, New York.

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In my opinion, the "Great Academics in Pearland" group has self-contradictory goals and expectations at its website:

Goals

3) Encourage further development of the IB program in PISD.

4) Advocate open enrollment policy for advanced academic programs.

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Expectations

3. Adopt an “Excellence Track” in PISD: it should be available to students who desire this kind of academic challenge

4. The International Baccalaureate Program including all levels should be adopted and available to all Pearland ISD students

As I've mentioned several times before, the IB-PYP discourages (but does not prohibit) ability grouped advanced curriculum classes. Perhaps the "Great Academics in Pearland" group doesn't promote advanced academic programs prior to the 6th grade. That is the only explanation that can reconcile their support for advanced academic programs and an "Excellence Track" with their support for the IB. [During my discussions with Pearland ISD administrators, I asked a few questions about their intent at Jamison Middle School. Jamison is a 5-6 campus that straddles the IB-PYP and IB-MYP. I don't know a lot about the IB-MYP, but I was concerned that ability-grouped advanced-curriculum classes at the 5th grade level would be eliminated since 5th grade is covered by the IB-PYP. The answer I got was that the middle schools currently have such classes and that there "is no call to change that". That is not exactly comforting since there was no call to eliminate the accelerated class at Carleston Elementary, yet the academically rigorous classes were nevertheless eliminated.]

Representatives from Pearland ISD routinely refer to the "IB Curriculum". I'm not sure if this is sloppy language, if these people are not familiar with the IB Program or if they are trying to confuse the issue [the Diploma Program is equivalent to the existing and less costly AP Program -- the DP may be considered to have a curriculum, but the DP hasn't been implemented in Pearland]. Listen to a Pearland ISD Board Member refer to the "IB Curriculum" [Time: 10:18]:



For the past ten years, and likely longer, Carleston Elementary has had an advanced curriculum class. Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, this ability grouped class has been eliminated. To be fair to Pearland ISD administrators, they deny any linkage between the IB-PYP's disdain for ability-grouped advanced-curriculum classes and the elimination of Carleston's accelerated class. A Pearland ISD administrator told me that the decision to eliminate these classes was made five years ago with parental input. The same Pearland ISD administrator discouraged me from seeking documentation regarding that decision. Ultimately, I decided it didn't matter. I had already been told that Pearland ISD would not reconsider its decision to eliminate the accelerated class. With a kid going to Pearland ISD, the stakes were too high to try to wait out Pearland ISD and simply hope they would reinstate the accelerated class. I had to get Junior Anti-Corruption in a school that valued academic rigor immediately, and Junior now attends a private school that does believe in accelerated academics.

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Syntax Explanation

I tend to use "ability-grouped classes", "[academically] advanced [curriculum] classes" and "accelerated classes" interchangeably. To me, ability grouping and advanced academics go hand-in-hand, although there is a distinction. Let's look at the possible combinations:

1. Ability-grouped classes AND Advanced curriculum classes. This is what Carleston Elementary had prior to the 2007-2008 school year. I advocate this arrangement. High ability children are the ones who can handle an advanced curriculum.

2. Ability-grouped classes WITHOUT Advanced curriculum. If you don't intend to challenge high ability kids with an advanced curriculum, why bother to segregate the high ability kids into a single class? I don't know any district that follows this model -- it is makes no sense.

3. Advanced curriculum classes WITHOUT Ability-grouping. While I wholeheartedly support an advanced curriculum, using an arbitrary and capricious method to populate an advanced curriculum class makes little sense. Some high-ability students would be excluded from the advanced class, and others who may not be able to handle the accelerated pace are placed in the class. I know of no district that uses this model, either.

4. No ability-grouping AND no advanced curriculum. This is the model at Carleston Elementary since the 2007-2008 school year. Both the "GT Cluster" class and the heterogeneous classes are in this category. The Texas Association for the Gited and Talented defines "cluster grouping" as a "grouping assignment for gifted students in the regular heterogeneous classroom. Typically, five or six gifted students with similar needs, abilities, or interests are 'clustered' in the same classroom, which allows the teacher to more efficiently differentiate assignments for a group of advanced learners rather than just one or two students." [Emphasis added] While there is nothing inconsistent about this model, my personal policy preference is to provide an advanced curriculum to high ability kids. This is the major philosophical difference I have with Pearland ISD.

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Elitism

In the Board Chat audio file above, a Pearland ISD Board Member says some parents inaccurately believe the IB Program is an "elite" program [Time 13:43]. I found that comment to be somewhat humorous. I don't think I hid the fact that I was opposed to the IB Program - PYP since it harms high ability students. During the course of my discussions with Pearland ISD administrators, I was on the receiving end of a few ad hominem attacks myself. One of the milder attacks occurred when a Pearland ISD administrator called me "elitist". You see how this works? There is a misconception that the IB Program is elitist. In the eyes of Pearland ISD administrators, though, opponents to the IB Program are the actual elitists.

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Number 6?

The other night, Mrs. Anti-Corruption announced that she needed to run to Kroger for a few items. I watched kids and football, though not with equal intensity. When Mrs. Anti-Corruption came back, she told me that she had run into a parent of a 2006-2007 Carleston accelerated student at Palais Royal. (Went to Kroger, met a parent at Palais Royal. Welcome to my world.) Through some chit-chat, Mrs. Anti-Corruption figured out that this parent was a member of the rebellious coalition I mentioned in a previous post. The parent expressed interest in finding a better school for her child. Mrs. Anti-Corruption enumerated the virtues of Junior's school. Mrs. Anti-Corruption said that we sent Junior to spend a day at the private school before making a decision, and that day sealed our decision to withdraw Junior from Pearland ISD. This parent has expressed interest in trying a trial day at Junior's school. I don't think I can count this child as leaving Pearland ISD yet, but of the 21 kids in my son's 2006-2007 advanced class, at least six have either left (3), have decided to leave soon (2), or are considering it.

30%. When does Pearland ISD take action to stop the bleeding and reinstate advanced curriculum classes?

A Year or Two

Ugh.

The Sacramento Bee reports on a Justice Department appeal to the US Supreme Court of a case critical to the DoJ's scandal investigation. Indicted Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) won some spurious legal protection from federal investigators under the "Speech or Debate" clause of the Constitution. Justice is forced to appeal that myopic ruling:

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department said in an appeal filed with the U.S. Supreme Court this week that an "overly expansive" ruling over the search last year of a congressional office is blocking investigations of other congressional corruption cases.

While the Justice Department did not mention Rep. John Doolittle by name, its filing confirmed the Roseville Republican's claim earlier this week that constitutional questions over federal prosecutorial access to House records had stalled the criminal investigation into his relationship with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The Justice Department asked the high court to overturn a ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia prohibiting agents from searching locations where legislative records are likely to be found unless they have the permission of the congressional member.

Several months ago, I noticed some language in the Substantial Assistance Memorandum submitted by Justice at Will Heaton's sentencing that indicated to me that Congressmen surrounded by corruption would hide behind the Speech or Debate clause in the US Constitution to thwart investigations into their scandalous behavior. By September, it was clear to me that Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) would use this legal strategy.

Congressmen who wrap themselves in the Constitution to stymie bribery and other corruption cases repulse me. I don't care if it is Rep. Jefferson, Rep. Doolittle or our own former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Fort Bend County). I fear that if this case is not overturned on appeal, the predictions of the Justice Department may be a little too accurate:

The effect of that ruling, the Justice Department said, "is to critically undermine the executive branch's ability to investigate and prosecute corrupt activity" in Congress.

Until that decision is reversed, the Justice Department said, "investigations of corruption in the nation's capital and elsewhere will be seriously and perhaps even fatally stymied..."

[A]ccording to the Justice Department filing, the appeals court decision has cast an "immediate cloud over ongoing public corruption investigations."

"Fatally stymied." I can only hope that this is Justice Department hyperbole. Unfortunately, my impression of the Justice Department is that the lawyers there are not too terrible inclined to engage in hyperbole.

I can only repeat what I wrote in September:

Ultimately, I'm optimistic that the courts will be in alignment with the thinking of Sacramento lawyer Donald Heller:

Yet Sacramento lawyer Donald Heller, a former federal prosecutor, said the U.S. Supreme Court has held that such "legislative immunity" can be waived in investigations of alleged criminal conduct by office holders.

"The government has a right to pursue bribery of an elected official, which is an incredibly serious offense, if it has cause to believe he accepted something of value for the exercise of his official position," Heller said.

So what are the consequences of this delay? Back to the Sacramento Bee:

During a telephone press conference with reporters Wednesday, Doolittle confirmed that he is challenging the subpoena and that he believed that the federal investigation of him was stalled over the constitutional question of prosecutorial access to the records. He said Barger had told him it could take a year or two for the court case to be decided.

The Justice Department filing Wednesday begins the process of asking the high court to review the appeals court decision in the Jefferson case. Legal arguments will have to be submitted now by Jefferson and others with interest in the case, including the House of Representatives. If the high court takes the case, even an expedited schedule would take many months before there is a decision.

Ugh again. A "year or two" for the case to be decided. Corrupt Congressmen do seem to be a protected class, don't they? I'm not sure I'm patient enough for this.

Notice that the Justice Department didn't mention Rep. Doolittle by name. Most likely that is because Rep. Doolittle doesn't have anything to do with the case at hand -- the appealed case deals with Rep. Jefferson's corruption. But the legal question is the same: Can the Justice Department acquire legislative materials in a corruption case? Rep. Doolittle is probably just a free rider on Rep. Jefferson's case. But you know who else is a free rider -- none other than Mr. Tom DeLay.

I certainly hope that we don't have to wait a "year or two" to resolve this matter, but my impression of the US Supreme Court is that it moves at glacial speed. I don't expect the Supreme Court to take any action on this appeal during this term, which ends in the summer of 2008.

Pearland's Spreading Rebellion

Back in August, I composed an entry entitled Mutiny on the Carleston. At that time, I first recognized that a decision by Pearland ISD to eliminate ability-grouped advanced curriculum classes at Carleston was harmful to high-ability students. I put my money where my mouth is. Junior Anti-Corruption no longer attends Pearland ISD; he is in private school.

We were not the first parents to pull their kid out of Pearland ISD over policy differences. In fact, of the 20 or so students who began the 2006-2007 school year in Junior's advanced class, we were the third to pull our kid out of Pearland ISD. Earlier this month, I wrote about another kid from the advanced class (now at Magnolia) whose parents have made the decision to leave Pearland ISD. Since then, I have learned about some concrete steps that the parents of another advanced student have made to leave Pearland ISD. By my count, this means five of the approximately 21 kids who began the advanced class last year have either already left or have already made the decision to leave -- essentially a quarter of the high performers. (I know of a sixth advanced-class kid who I've been told is leaving the district for reasons unrelated to Pearland ISD's policies. I don't include that child in my calculations.)

In the absurd hypothetical event that Pearland ISD wanted to chase off high-performing students, I can't think of a better set of policies to accomplish that goal than the ones that Pearland ISD has adopted.

Well, the mutiny is spreading. I understand that other grade levels are now joining the rebellion. I know what is going on and what the parents plan on doing, but in deference to them, I will not discuss that matter now. I know it is not my problem since Junior is in a good school now, but I still have a great deal of sympathy and concern for the parents of other high-performing students that remain in Pearland ISD. I know Pearland ISD administrators still read this blog, and I want to assure them that I am not giving these parents advice on what to do.

Nothing would please me more than to have Pearland ISD challenge high-performing students to their ability.

Italia Federici Sentenced

This post is likely to turn into a mish-mash of random thoughts regarding Ms. Federici's sentencing. Read the Washington Post for complete context.

The quick one-paragraph version of this story is that Italia Federici provided Jack Abramoff with extraordinary access to the Department of Interior which governed many of Abramoff's Indian tribe clients. Ms. Federici did not work at Interior, but had personal and professional relationships with many Interior officials. She was the girlfriend of Interior official Steven Griles and had cofounded an ostensive environmental group called the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy (CREA) with then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton. Jack Abramoff funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to CREA in return for the extraordinary access Ms. Federici provided. Ms. Federici pleaded guilty to tax evasion and obstructing then- Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman John McCain's investigation into this scandal.

The sentencing judge was U.S. District Court Judge Ellen S. Huvelle, who is quickly becoming my favorite federal judge. According to the Washington Post, Judge "Huvelle asked Federici why anyone would 'believe for a minute' that Abramoff's client contributions were unconnected to her role as an intermediary: 'You didn't understand there was any quid pro quo going on?'" Judge Huvelle, who is in a position to know such things, acknowledged Ms. Federici's extensive cooperation with prosecutors:

Still, Huvelle credited Federici's aid to the federal task force investigating Abramoff's activities. "I agree she has cooperated extensively," she said.

Both [Ms. Federici's attorney, Jonathan] Rosen and prosecutors said Federici has spent more than 100 hours with investigators providing information that goes beyond her relationship with Griles. "We have spent hours, days and nights, working on other high-profile cases," Rosen said.

Hours, days and nights working on other high-profile cases? Warms my heart! An Associated Press report suggests what those "other high-profile cases" might be:

Federal prosecutors, who recommended that Federici be placed under house arrest, have not said whom Federici is cooperating against. People close to the case have said Federici may be able to provide information about former Interior Secretary Gale Norton, other Bush administration officials and members of Congress.

Nearly a year ago, I wrote that the Abramoff-Federici link didn't augur well for former Secretary Norton. Given that Secretary Norton is now named in the AP article, that appears to be a good conclusion. But who are these members of Congress that may face legal jeopardy due to Ms. Federici's cooperation?

Also in January, I wrote about the excessive interest staffers for our own former Representative Tom DeLay (R-Fort Bend County) had in CREA:

Rep. Tom DeLay's staff tried to help lobbyist Jack Abramoff win access to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, an effort that succeeded after Abramoff's Indian tribe clients began funneling a quarter-million dollars to an environmental group founded by Norton [CREA]...

Rudy wrote Abramoff that same day promising he had "good news" about securing a meeting with Norton, forwarding information about the environmental group Norton had founded, according to e-mails obtained by investigators and reviewed by The Associated Press. Rudy's message to Abramoff was sent from Congress' official e-mail system.

Within months, Abramoff clients donated heavily to the Norton-founded group and the lobbyist and one of the tribes he represented won face-to-face time with the secretary during a Sept. 24, 2001, dinner sponsored by the group she had founded.

Tom DeLay's staff solicited contributions to CREA in return for access to Interior officials. I don't think Mr. DeLay is too happy about these recent developments. Tony Rudy has already pleaded guilty and is cooperating with prosecutors. Mr. DeLay announced his resignation from Congress three days after Mr. Rudy's plea bargain. It was Mr. Rudy's plea bargain that made it clear to me the extent of Mr. DeLay's involvement in the Abramoff scandal.

The Dereliction of the Alaska Republicans

The Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner has a story about two scandal-tainted Republicans from the Last Frontier. Senator Ted Stevents (R-Alaska) and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) are trailing likely Democratic challengers:

Left-leaning Web site Daily Kos released a poll last week showing congressional incumbents Stevens and Young trailing their most likely Democratic challengers.

The poll has Democrat Ethan Berkowitz defeating Young 49 percent to 42 percent, with 9 percent of voters undecided.

In the Senate race, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich beat Stevens 47 percent to 41 percent, with 12 percent undecided. Berkowitz has officially declared his candidacy for the House. So has Democrat Diane Benson, who last year captured more than 40 percent of the vote against Young, as well as former Alaska Democratic Party Chairman Jake Metcalfe.

There is no reason that these Congressional seats in Alaska should turn over to the Donkeys. Alaska is as ruby red as our own 22nd Congressional district in Texas. Of course, we know that Democrat Nick Lampson won our seat because the local party, from the RPT to our local precinct chairs, refused to be responsible. They did not make it clear to the corrupt Tom DeLay that he could not win re-election. In fact, our precinct chairs held coffees to raise campaign legal defense funds for DeLay.

Certainly the Alaska Republicans are not as irresponsible as their Texan counterparts, right? Don't bet the farm:

One year out from the general election and the field for Alaska’s two contested congressional seats is filling up with Democrats. Republican challengers, though, have been harder to find.

Potential GOP candidates fall into two categories: those who want to run but can’t raise money and those lurking on the edge of the race waiting for unfolding events to weaken the grip on power of the state’s long-serving Republican congressmen — Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young.

Stevens and Young say they’re in to win their respective seats and have no plans of stepping aside. But both have been caught up in a wide-ranging federal investigation into public corruption that has them appearing vulnerable for the first time in years.

It seems that the Republican Party is not just the party of entitlement in Texas. Alaska Republicans share that sense of entitlement. I wish the Alaskans would learn a lesson from TX-22. Either the Republicans clean their own house or the voters will do it for them. There was no way I was going to vote for a corrupt Tom DeLay. Mr. DeLay recognized that tens of thousands of Republican-leaning voters were prepared to abandon him, so he withdrew. I'm sure there are plenty of rank-and-file Republican voters in Alaska who won't be able to vote for Sen. Stevens and Rep. Young, either.

IB Program and Pearland ISD - Part II

Original post: IB Program and Pearland ISD
Corpus Christi, Texas
Saginaw Township, Michigan

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In my original post on this subject, I wrote about changes in Pearland ISD that I attributed to the International Baccalaureate Program (IB Program). Specifically, I observed that the IB Program - Primary Years Program (PYP) is not intended to have an academically advanced curriculum. In fact, the academically advanced class at Carleston Elementary has been eliminated this year. Pearland ISD administrators have denied causality between the two events.

Today, let's look at two other school districts where parents have recently objected to the IB Program:

Glen Cove, New York

In this article dated November 23, 2007, parents in Glen Cove present two objections to the IB Program. First is that it costs too much. Secondly, parents fear that the more costly IB Program is intended to replace the existing and less costly Advanced Placement (AP) program:

Parent Audrey Mazzeo expressed concern that, if instituted, the IB program will work to eliminate the AP program, which, she stated, is working very well. Mr. Tortorici remarked that the board has no plans to eliminate AP, but Ms. Mazzeo countered that students might not realize the difference and if a counselor encourages them to take an IB course by telling them to "try this, it's a little different," the AP classes will "start to dissipate." She expressed her desire to see AP continue.

Mr. Tortorici insisted that since the inception of the implementation of the IB program, the board has stated that it has no plans to stop the AP program. "Students will have both options," he said.

I have had that very same concern. In fact, on September 25, 2007, I asked a Pearland ISD administrator if the IB program was intended to replace the AP program or if the two programs would coexist. The administrator was extremely evasive in answering that simple question. I literally had to ask that question four times before I could get an answer. I was told that IB and AP would coexist. The evasiveness, however, still concerns me.

My fear and the fear of the Glen Cove parents is not isolated. In the Corning - Painted Post (New York) school district, "many parents complained that IB courses were taking the place of advanced placement classes in the high school." (The Corning - Painted Post taxpayers are also concerned about the excessive cost of the IB Program.)

[On December 14, 2006, I asked the same Pearland administrator if the IB Program would have any effect on Carleston Elementary's Advanced Class. I was given a misleading answer that "International Baccalaureate has no rules pertaining to Gifted students." Subsequent discussions with another Pearland ISD administrator informed me that the IB Program - PYP discourages (but does not prohibit) Advanced Classes. In my correspondence of December 14, 2006, the IB Program was characterized as a "way to promote advanced learning". Are they kidding me? My disappointment with Pearland ISD originated with the elimination of the Advanced Class at Carleston Elementary and its replacement with a less academically rigorous "GT Cluster" class. The "GT Cluster" class is not intended to have an advanced curriculum above grade level.]

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Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania

The community of Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania is in suburban Pittsburgh. Apparently, the IB Program has long proved divisive to Upper St. Clair. Parents there charge that the IB Program is anti-American and anti-Christian:

Opponents of International Baccalaureate say it violates Judeo-Christian values, is anti-American and has ties to Marxism. Supporters say the curriculum is like an advanced placement program with an international perspective that helps students succeed in an interconnected world.

David Masci, a senior research fellow at Washington's Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, said it's not a surprise that at least some of the debate has formed along religious lines.

"Between 65 and 70 percent of Americans say the U.S. is a Christian nation," said Masci, according to polls conducted by Pew.

Daniel Iracki, 54, a pulmonary specialist and member of Upper St. Clair's board, provided a theological-based opposition to the curriculum during a September school board meeting when he read a 4 1/2-page essay. Iracki, a devout Catholic, argues it teaches students "moral relativism" instead of an absolute notion of what's right and wrong.

I only heard about these invidious charges after coming to the conclusion that the IB Program led Pearland ISD to eliminate the Advanced Class at my son's school. I've never really evaluated these allegations, in fact, I'm not really in a good position to evaluate them.

From excessive cost to the fear of eliminating the Advanced Placement program. From eliminating Advanced curriculum classes in Pearland's elementary schools to being anti-American and anti-Christian. There are a lot of objections to the IB Program. Mrs. Anti-Corruption and I are both products of the public schools. We were both pleased with the advanced curriculum when we went. It is with heavy heart that we had to abandon public school here in Pearland, Texas just to find an academically rigorous curriculum. Fortunately, that was an option for us.

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Pearland's Brain Drain

I had the opportunity recently to speak to the parents of a child in last year's Advanced Class at Carleston Elementary. This family is now zoned to Magnolia Elementary after the redistricting to alleviate capacity issues at Carleston. I had not spoken to them in several months. I was shocked to learn that their decision to pull their high-performing kid out of Magnolia was complete, the new school chosen and everything. They were shocked to learn that we had already pulled Junior Anti-Corruption out of Carleston. They intend to wait until next school year, but the decision seemed so settled to me that I didn't even try to lobby the merits of Junior Anti-Corruption's school.

Who is Chris Perkins? Part II

A couple of months ago, I drafted a post entitled Who is Chris Perkins? Mr. Perkins worked for former Rep. Tom DeLay's political action committee, ARMPAC. I observed how the House Ethics Committee had noted that the actions of Mr. Perkins had changed what otherwise would have been a permissible ARMPAC fundraiser into one that was "objectionable under House standards of conduct". Mr. Perkins' behavior could be construed as providing at least the appearance of impropriety that contributions to ARMPAC would influence Mr. DeLay's decisions regarding a conference committee.

At the end of the post, I wondered if Mr. Perkins was cooperating with federal investigators.

I have seen some information that leads me to believe that Mr. Perkins is still firmly in Mr. DeLay's camp. Mr. DeLay has created an organization called "Coalition for a Conservative Majority" (CCM). Mr. Perkins is the organization's executive director. I view this close relationship to Mr. DeLay as evidence that Mr. Perkins is not all that helpful to prosecutors.

No Formal Investigation of Former Rep. JD Hayworth (R-Ariz.)

So reports the Associated Press:

Former U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth said Thursday that the Justice Department has told his lawyers they’ve decided against a formal investigation into his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff...

Hayworth received $2,250 from Abramoff while representing Arizona’s 5th District, which includes all of Tempe, Scottsdale and Fountain Hills and parts of Chandler, Mesa and Phoenix.

Only $2,250? Maybe this is just direct contributions from Abramoff and doesn't include contributions from his clients. Or maybe this doesn't include contributions to Mr. Hayworth's PAC, T.E.A.M PAC. If one chooses to accept a broader definition of Abramoff contributions, Mr. Hayworth's haul increases by a factor of 20 or so.

Let's see what Mr. Hayworth says about the his plight:

Hayworth made the comments on his radio show on KFYI-AM. He blamed Democrats for focusing on his ties to Abramoff and said the criticism was one of the primary reasons he lost his seat to Democrat Harry Mitchell in November 2006.

It's the Democrats' fault? C'mon. I will humbly suggest that Republicans held him to a higher standard of personal conduct beyond just felonious behavior. That is one of the differences between Republicans and Democrats, you know.

It is worthwhile to look back in my archives to see how I described Hayworth's Abramoff connection:

April 2, 2006
[Listing plausible candidates for the "Wives Club".]

4. Mary Hayworth. Wife of Rep. J. D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Mary Hayworth is the sole employee of J. D. Hayworth's PAC, T.E.A.M. PAC. According to KPHO-TV, T.E.A.M. PAC has paid Mary Hayworth $130,000 while receiving $83,000 in Abramoff-related contributions. I'm sure T.E.A.M. PAC did a lot more than receive money from Abramoff. This means the Mary Hayworth connection is much less direct than the others, but I'm trying to populate my list with plausible candidates.

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April 17, 2006
[Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said he expected six Congressmen and one Senator to go to jail over corruption. I speculated who might be on that list. Former Rep. Hayworth didn't make my top six list. I was called on the carpet for some omissions by a commenter. Here is my response.]

Right of Texas takes me to task for omitting Harry Reid (D-NV) as our Senatorial candidate. He was right to do so. I'm trying to limit my list to lawmakers who have been named as being the focus of investigators/prosecutors. Harry Reid belongs on that list. I'll see Right of Texas' Harry Reid and raise him one Byron Dorgan (D-ND). Both were mentioned in this Washington Times article as gaining the attention of the Justice Department. Of course, that means I have to add JD Hayworth (R-AZ), too.

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April 29, 2006
[Time Magazine looks at Ed Buckham's activities and suggests legal liability for some Congressmen. Again, Mr. Hayworth doens't make my list of suspects, but does earn a mention.]

I'm thinking about adding JD Hayworth (R-AZ) if I can become more convinced that Mary Hayworth's connection to Buckham is worthy of "Wives Club" status. I did include Mary Hayworth in my "Wives Club" list for her contacts with Abramoff-linked entities in general.

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May 7, 2007
[Well after the 2006 general election, I criticized Tom DeLay for ignoring the impact that corruption had on the Republicans' losses. I looked at each Western seat lost and provided an explanation.]

AZ-05 (Rep. JD Hayworth defeated)
Wife Mary Hayworth may be worthy of "Wives Club" status. Strong Abramoff influence in this race.

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I could never really identify just how deep Mary Hayworth's connection was to the Wives Club. I know I never could identify any official action of JD Hayworth that furthered the goals of Jack Abramoff. Nevertheless, I was pleased that Mr. Hayworth lost his re-election bid in 2006. As I said, we Republicans have a higher standard of personal conduct than just felonious activity.

Abramoff Continues to Provide Evidence

The Hill reports on Jack Abramoff's lobbying activities for the Pacific nation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The Justice Department is interested in Abramoff's activities for the RMI, and Abramoff is talking:

“Mr. Abramoff has discussed all of his dealings with his former clients, including his clients in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, with the Department of Justice and is continuing to provide answers to DoJ officials,” [Abramoff attorney Abbe] Lowell said.

Beyond that, Lowell declined to comment. Abramoff is serving six years in jail and has pleaded guilty to defrauding casino tribes and conspiring to bribe a congressman. He is cooperating with the ongoing federal investigation...

RMI hired Abramoff in early 1999, paying him $425 an hour to loosen the strings the Clinton administration wanted to place on foreign aid the federal government sends to RMI.

"The Hill" names several Congressmen Abramoff considered to forward his preferred public policy for the RMI. The article mentions Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), former Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.), the late Rep. Helen Chenoweth-Hage (R-Idaho), Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.), then-Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.), and Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) as possible champions for Abramoff's position.

Of course, I'm most interested in the role of our own former Congressman, Tom DeLay. Abramoff wanted to discredit the US Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Joan Plaisted. Ms. Plaisted was responsible in part for implementing the more restrictive policies of the Clinton administration on foreign aid to the RMI. Here's what "The Hill" has to say about that:

Throughout 1999, Abramoff engineered a media blitz to discredit Plaisted. Abramoff’s underlings sifted through prior statements and actions to find Plaisted’s “mishaps and inappropriate behavior.” That information was developed into speeches for House Republicans to deliver on the House floor...

The speeches were to be timed to coincide with the September 1999 visit of then-RMI President Kabua. The plan, as laid out in Abramoff’s e-mail exchanges, was that video clips of members “tak[ing] the floor in outrage” would be broadcast on television back in RMI to undermine support for Plaisted’s position.

Abramoff and his team, according to e-mails, planned to discuss the timing of the speeches with Tony Rudy, then deputy chief of staff to DeLay.

But the blitz never materialized. RMI’s Washington embassy canceled the presidential visit.

Emphasis Added

[Long time readers know that it was the plea bargain of DeLay aide Tony Rudy which provided me with clarity on how this scandal worked back in April 2006.]

What was DeLay supposed to get out of the deal? Money, of course!

Many of the lawmakers Abramoff’s team contacted for the RMI lobbying campaign — DeLay, Rohrabacher and Young, among others — were on the receiving end of contributions from Abramoff or the firm’s political action committee (PAC) throughout 1999...

DeLay spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty said, “All of Mr. DeLay’s legislative actions in Congress were based on sound public policy and protecting conservative principles...”

First was a fundraiser at a Sept. 12, 1999, Washington Redskins-Dallas Cowboys game to be held for DeLay and Young. DeLay, according to e-mails within Abramoff’s team, had agreed to attend, but Young was not planning on showing up.

At the time, Abramoff and his fellow Preston Gates lobbyists were contacting DeLay about RMI legislation. Foreign lobbying records show they contacted Rudy, DeLay’s deputy chief of staff, at least 16 times throughout 1999.

Rudy would later become a lobbyist and worked with Abramoff at another firm, Greenberg Traurig. He has since pleaded guilty to conspiracy and is cooperating with federal investigators. Messages left for Rudy were not returned.

For the record, I don't think Ms. Flaherty really believes what she says. Ensuring it is easier to spend taxpayer money isn't my brand of fiscal conservatism.

We know that Jack Abramoff was lobbying for the interests of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. We know that Tom DeLay's staff was extremely interested in furthering Abramoff's goals. We know that Tom DeLay was receiving money during this period. We know that the Justice Department is interested in this matter. I guess the only thing we don't know is what exactly happened that is illegal. My readers know I support the Justice Department and am very deferential to them. I suspect there is fire behind the smoke.

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Edwin Buckham Connection

Coincidence or not? The Republic of the Marshall Islands hired Ed Buckham's Alexander Strategy Group during a period after the events in this article. We already know that the Justice Department is looking at the bogus "employment" arrangement between Buckham's Alexander Strategy Group and Tom DeLay's wife, Christine DeLay. This phony "job" was essentially a bribe from Buckham to DeLay.

IB Program and Pearland ISD

Pearland ISD administrators have shown a new interest in my humble little blog. I have been meaning for some time to document my experiences that led me to pull my kid out of Pearland ISD and enroll him in private school. I still intend to do that sometime, but not today.

I infer that Pearland ISD is getting some blowback with respect to the International Baccalaureate Program(me) (IB Program). I assure Pearland ISD administrators that I have nothing to do with their current problems defending this program.

I do have a few guesses as to why parents object to the IB Program. Parents across the country object to it for a variety of reasons. Here are some examples from the past couple of weeks:

Corpus Christi, Texas
Parents in Corpus Christi have concluded that the IB Program advocates a worldview inconsistent with community standards in Corpus Christi:

Dozens of Corpus Christi parents on Tuesday spoke out against an advanced studies program proposed by the school district that they said gives kids too global a perspective...

Parents and teachers packed the Windsor auditorium Tuesday, with a number questioning whether the IB program is too worldly.

"IB stands behind programs as well as supports beliefs that are not consistent with the community beliefs," said Erin Wilder, a Windsor Park parent.

Other parents said their concerns were based on articles they have read claiming the IB program is based on beliefs put forth by the United Nations, not the U.S.

Opposition also came from parents who disagreed with their understanding of IB teachings on terrorism.

"IB believes, in their own words, each side it seems has a morally defensible position," parent Liza Winnie said. "Will CCISD adopt this belief that terrorists have a morally defensible position?"

It seems to me that Ms. Wilder has evaluated the IB Program independently of those parents who say the IB Program is inconsistent with their values by placing the United Nations ahead of the United States. I wish I knew more of Ms. Wilder's position. I have heard of problems with the IB Program much more invidious than those presented in this article. Although I've heard these objections, I've never really evaluated them myself (in fact, I'm not all that well situated to evaluate the more invidious criticisms). My opposition to the implementation of the IB Program in Pearland rests on different grounds.

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Saginaw Township, Michigan

I've mentioned many times that I grew up in mid-Michigan. Growing up, Saginaw was the big city to me. (To date myself, I saw Ratt in the Saginaw Civic Center.) I wasn't allowed to drive to Saginaw without permission since it was a big city and all. That was a hard directive to follow. Saginaw had the biggest movie theater around. It had four screens. Yes, FOUR SCREENS!

Anyway, I didn't attend schools in Saginaw Township, but I still keep up with what's going on in my old stomping grounds. Saginaw Township Community Schools (STCS) held a bond election in November. Voters rejected the bond issue. The school district is asking voters why they rejected the bond issue. Saginaw Township voters said they voted against the bonds, in part, because the IB Program is too expensive:

There were several posts concerned about the cost of IB, with statements talking about "millions of dollars" and that it served only a small number of students. [Fourteen students are enrolled in the Diploma Program.]

Of course, I haven't seen STCS's financial statements, but I think I know the reason that the voters and the school district disagree on how much the program costs. I suspect the school district is only including explicit costs paid to the International Baccalaureate Organization. The voters take the position that there are more costs to consider such as additional teacher training, costs associated with additional administrative personnel, and start-up costs associated with implementing the IB Program. I'm a little more sympathetic to the voters' position here. Not counting the other costs of the IB Program is like not considering the cost of car insurance, gasoline and maintenance when considering whether or not to allow your kid to get a car.

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Pearland, Texas

I think it is appropriate to explain my opposition to the IB Program in this post. During the course of trying to determine why in the world Pearland ISD would eliminate the academically rigorous Accelerated Class format in favor of the less rigorous "GT Cluster Class"* model at Carleston Elementary, I was told without hesitation that the IB Program - Primary Years Programme discourages the use of ability grouping children as was the practice in the Accelerated Class. Later, as it became clear that I was becoming an opponent of the IB Program over this matter, Pearland administrators denied that the IB Program factored into the elimination of Accelerated Classes.

Ultimately, I left Pearland ISD because the district had watered down the academic curriculum for my son. I asked them to reconsider, and was flatly told that the academically rigorous Advanced Class was gone for good. That position made my decision to go to private school easy. And yes, I believe the policy of the International Baccalaureate Organization to discourage ability-grouped Accelerated Classes in the PYP is what led Pearland ISD to eliminate Accelerated Classes.

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* "GT Cluster Classes" are not intended to be Accelerated Classes. They are not intended to challenge students to their ability. "GT Cluster Classes" are not intended to take the curriculum above grade-level. High ability kids are intentionally held at grade-level in "GT Cluster Classes".

For that matter, the GT Program as implemented at Pearland ISD is not intended to be an accelerated program. It is not intended to challenge students above grade-level. Also, the IB Program - Primary Years Programme is NOT an accelerated program. The curriculum to be used is to be only at grade-level. Despite proclamations from Pearland ISD administrators, the IB Program - Primary Years Programme is NOT an advanced program.

All of this puts parents who value academic rigor in an uncomfortable position. It was simply not an option to keep my child in public school when the school district had no intention of challenging him to his ability. Fortunately, the Anti-Corruption family is in a financial position to consider private school. As parents of high-ability children realize that public schools don't even intend to challenge students above grade-level, I fear that a two-tiered school system will emerge. Parents of high-ability children intuitively realize that they can't leave their kids in a school that won't challenge them. Those with the financial resources, will abandon public schools in favor of private schools that do value academic rigor. Public schools will face an enrollment that is less and less affluent. This is not good for public schools nor public school students. For the life of me, I can't explain the actions of Pearland ISD.