can whoever has these post images of the receipts or purchase orders or whatever there is that shows all this stuff?

this is outrageous. what the hell is south county doing spending $5000 on shirts for? i don't know how much they cost but at $20 a shirt that's 250 shirts!

i think the money in the schools is what they raise and they can spend it without any supervision from the superintendent because it doesn't come from the school board. so who gets to control this river of money?

post more please? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> can whoever has these post images of the receipts
> or purchase orders or whatever there is that shows
> all this stuff?
>
> this is outrageous. what the hell is south county
> doing spending $5000 on shirts for? i don't know
> how much they cost but at $20 a shirt that's 250
> shirts!
>
> i think the money in the schools is what they
> raise and they can spend it without any
> supervision from the superintendent because it
> doesn't come from the school board. so who gets to
> control this river of money?




$5000 on a staff clothing purchase is pretty normal, from what I am seeing on all these records.


The money in the ECA fund IS owned by the School Board. It is not appropriated, meaning it doesn't come from the taxes. It comes from revenue generated by the individual school (parking passes, tuition, vending machines, monopole rental, etc.), but this is still public money. There aren't any written controls over what is done with it other than whatever the principal considers appropriate. That's IT. And I will tell you from what I am seeing there is very little interest if any at all in providing for your children. This fund exists to provide meals, clothing, presents, ice cream, donuts, bagels, Admins, parties, massages, and flowers for staff. I did see a several thousand dollar football uniform purchase at Oakton, the security cameras at Fairfax, and a few other things. But, I really had to look.

I am pulling the records on the $1000+ faculty golf outing down at Mt. Vernon next. I still don't have the names on the Nationals tickets. I am awaiting the massage contracts, a few Admins, and a couple of other pricey things. I would like to pull a lot more receipts and credit card statements, but this is huge. I am also ordering the basic accounting data on the final 11 schools.

I suggest everybody start pulling records on these accounts and start asking some questions.

The parking tickets.
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The Nats tickets. Have at it. I still don't have names.
Attachments:

This is funded by payments from the ECA to a group account, from which the payments are made.

This is the principal's retreat for this year.
Attachments:

These are the guidelines for the slush fund.
Attachments:

Good times at Westfield.
Attachments:

Two Langley admins.
Attachments:

An example of a particularly robust ECA account.
Attachments:

Oakton rocking and rolling.
Attachments:

You have to dig at the details with Langley. This is mostly generic notations. I did locate the Admins.

Feel free to jump in!
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You have to work at it at SoCo, also.

Any other requests?
Attachments:

This is the expanded version on McLean. Picks up this last year.
Attachments:

Home of the $1500 bill for ice cream, two Admins, and the Nats tickets. Along with the $995 of Whoopie Pies, etc..
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If you look closely, you will see the massages, Pay Day fruit, the Soup Club, and lunch at Westwood Country Club.

I certainly don't want anybody to feel singled out.
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Uno mas.

Home of the $1700 Zinga bill, the $7000 in food in September 2013, some interesting massage therapy bills, and some other fun stuff that is still being worked out. But, when you are getting 25 grand off of Monopoles, hey.
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WOW! That's all I can say

Home of the taxpayer paid parking tickets.

6/27/2013
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Home of dining at Bazin's. $1500 of coasters. $300 of baby bibs. Charge card statements and receipts that need to be pulled. I located two Admins and am awaiting records on those.
Attachments:

Lots of credit card statements and receipts needed to be pulled on this.
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About $2000 on flowers, including one $624 purchase on 5/7/2013. $6000 on lanyards and tshirts for staff. $1000 for SGA assistance is noted. 6/18/2013 a conference at The Homestead- $612.72. 6/27/2013 $248.03 for mileage to conference.
I don't know what the Anti-Bullying tshirts are about-I saw others. This ran us $1403.50.
$1300 for Rain Gear.

Looks like something is going on at the Waterford this summer.
Attachments:

Security cameras $14,000.

Portfolios-$2900.

A $3000 deal at Harbourtowne in St. Michael's on the Eastern Shore.
$4600 in staff wear and about $4600 on teacher appreciation bags.
Attachments:

Numerous credit card statements need to be pulled.$282 at McCormick and Schmick. $5400 at Reston Shirt and Graphic. $1600 at Cal Tort.

About $1300 at Charlestown, WV-records are pending.
Attachments:

I pulled some credit card statements and found the almost $7000 dropped at St. Germain catering. Lots more credit card statements need to be pulled.

SA cards are the staff charge cards.
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More rocking and rolling at Oakton. The region 6A North $2000 is something to do with activities.

About $15,000++ spent on clothing, planners, etc.
The restaurant bills are staggering. A March Madness lunch for $335.24.
At least $1200 on flowers.
Attachments:

Two Admins.
Attachments:

how do they have time to do their real jobs? My God.

I ordered up some credit card statements on Langley, since their accounting data is so vague.

Add another $500+ onto the Alexandria Admin (Joe Theismann's and Hard Times Café, Bread and Chocolate).

Can anybody spot the trip to Europe?

Lots of nice restaurants on here. Pulcinella, Listranis, Wildfire, Sweetwater...
Attachments:

The McLean Admin to Annapolis.
Attachments:

Great work, Facts! I went to the FCPS site and saw the generic instructions on the FOIA requests. Give me some more details and I'll join in. This is criminal.

Surprise! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great work, Facts! I went to the FCPS site and saw
> the generic instructions on the FOIA requests.
> Give me some more details and I'll join in. This
> is criminal.



You send an e-mail to Brandynn.Reaves@fcps.edu. You have to be as specific as you can possibly be. You have the right to go down to the receipts and the names of people who were at restaurants, on trips, etc.

Student issues are privacy protected. There are also some other things that are excluded.

I am trying to just present the facts. However, I will freely say I think paying for parking tickets (those people were parked illegally and they made the personal decision to do that and risk their license-NOT our problem), Nationals tickets, and massages is totally ridiculous. My sentiments on spending hundreds of dollars going out to fancy restaurants, etc. and then sticking us with the bill are not printable. Even on FFU. And I simply don't understand what is wrong with all the real estate we have bought these educators. When you are broke, you have staycations and pack lunch. You don't go checking into a luxury hotel with all the trimmings and hand the taxpayers the bill. If I see one more article about how broke this school system is I think I am going to throw up.

They are required to retain records for five years following the summer audit. So, you can go back a ways. Virginia has mandatory destruction laws for certain public records. They don't have to keep everything forever and they don't.

The Nationals tickets were for staff to go to a game. "A retreat."
Attachments:

Massage "treats" at TJ. I cannot dignify this with any further discussion.
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^Wow. Is the SB seeing all of this? Is there no accountability?

A Costco run for "healthy" snacks for staff. Itemized as the "Wellness Program". Are they in trouble for buying too much ice cream?

An Admin 6/21/2013 at Hyatt House. Full breakfast, snacks, beverages, lunch. U-shape seating for 12. A complimentary drop-down video screen, AV cart, wireless Internet. FCPS provided the LCD projector (WE HAVE THOSE!). $1000+. What a deal.

An Admin in Charles Town, WV. Home of the Hollywood Casino. This looks like fun. Dinner at the Final Cut Steak House $545.75. 8 "working" probably steak dinners. I am trying hard to keep a straight face here. About $100 a night for rooms.
Attachments:

A Costco run for "healthy" snacks for staff. Itemized as the "Wellness Program". Are they in trouble for buying too much ice cream?

An Admin 6/21/2013 at Hyatt House. Full breakfast, snacks, beverages, lunch. U-shape seating for 12. A complimentary drop-down video screen, AV cart, wireless Internet. FCPS provided the LCD projector (WE HAVE THOSE!). $1000+. What a deal.

An Admin in Charles Town, WV. Home of the Hollywood Casino. This looks like fun. Dinner at the Final Cut Steak House $545.75. 8 "working" probably steak dinners. I am trying hard to keep a straight face here. About $100 a night for rooms.
Attachments:

where is oversight? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ^Wow. Is the SB seeing all of this? Is there no
> accountability?



Patty Reed is my School Board contact. I send some of it to her.
You folks are more than welcome to take this up with Dr. Garza and the School Board.

where is oversight? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ^Wow. Is the SB seeing all of this? Is there no
> accountability?



Patty Reed is my School Board contact. I send some of it to her.
You folks are more than welcome to take this up with Dr. Garza and the School Board.

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Massage "treats" at TJ. I cannot dignify this with
> any further discussion.


I am only surmising that the massages were done while they were on FCPS time, adding insult to injury. Was the masseuse an hourly teacher who also does massages?

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Nationals tickets were for staff to go to a
> game. "A retreat."


THIS IS BULLSHIT.

I have a house at Deep Creek Lake that I would be willing to rent out for an FCPS "retreat". 10 bedrooms, dock, two jet skis, pontoon boat, granite, stainless, hardwood. The works.

anybody know who I would contact?

Found any mani-pedis?

Another Admin this summer. I have records coming on a $2750 Admin last summer out at Landsdowne for this school.
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the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The McLean Admin to Annapolis.


The sons o' bitches didn't even have the common sense to keep the money in Virginia so the taxes could support Virginia public schools.

Idiots all. But can they even be fired?

The principals went to Maryland, also.

When are they going to Costco, Dunkin', etc.? While they are on the clock?

conjecture Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the facts Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Massage "treats" at TJ. I cannot dignify this
> with
> > any further discussion.
>
>
> I am only surmising that the massages were done
> while they were on FCPS time, adding insult to
> injury. Was the masseuse an hourly teacher who
> also does massages?



I don't have the slightest idea. Call up Mr. Glazer and ask him.


More massages for staff. They were chalked up to Mental Health Awareness Week. I am not making this up.
Attachments:

That day was a teacher workday at Lake Braddock.
http://www.calendarwiz.com/calendars/calendar.php?crd=lbsscalendar&op=cal&month=4&year=2013

Why should we pay at least $750 for someone to come from DC, Falls Church, and Burke to give FCPS teachers massages on a teacher workday?

The list of purchases at the school level on this thread makes me sick.
Attachments:

So that is what they do on planning days! I thought they had meetings, graded papers, did lesson plans.

I very recently sent the information on the Nats tickets, the parking tickets, and the massages to Patty Reed.

I had already sent her a lot of stuff on the swanky restaurants, etc. The Admins just came up in the last month or so.

I suppose you all could take your school printouts to the first PTA meeting in the fall and ask your principals for some explanations on why there are $700 dinners at fine restaurants, $3000 breakfasts, massages, Nats tickets (a retreat?), etc. on these reports. They used money you gave them to buy this stuff. You pay their salaries. They work for you. They owe all of you some explanations.

I just ordered up the final 11 schools. I am still checking out a lot of stuff from the first 14. I won't be able to pull all the receipts and credit card statements. Feel free to jump in! It is easy to do. Many hands make light work.

I'm in for getting the dish on SoCo.

Surprise! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm in for getting the dish on SoCo.


Go right ahead. They need a LOT of credit card statements pulled. Then, based on those, you go on to the receipts. There are typically several credit cards that the staff can use. SA 1,2,3,4,5.... There is written information available regarding who is allowed to use each card. You can also pull that. There are also supposed to be some logs kept. You can go back up to five years, remember.

I have had my hands full with the others.

I think there needs to be more specific limits set on how to use this fund, other than whatever the principal feels is necessary and proper. That doesn't seem to be working very well. I am sure Pulcinella, Santini's, Artie's, Maggiano's, Morton's, Capital Grille, etc. would miss some of the FCPS business.

But, I am trying to just stick to the facts. The people have the right to know.

Local and non-local travel, per diem, mileage information. $11.50 for a meal associated with required attendance at a function outside of regular hours, no meals for attending local conference etc. unless they are charged for it, etc. Back-to-school night is treated differently.
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These are the salary supplements for this upcoming school year. The football coaches receive between $5000-$7000 approx., the high school Band teachers and Yearbook advisers receive $4200, etc. etc. etc. Supposedly if you receive a salary supplement you are not eligible for per diem if you have to do things outside of regular hours. At least, that is what the travel regulation says.
Attachments:

Page 38. Gifts are to be purchased from a club, faculty, or staff account. The ECA is being used as a staff and faculty account. The title of this fund is the Educational Contingency Account, and the staff members don't seem to be contributing anything.
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Directions for Sunshine Funds. Newly redone this year.

There are a lot of clarifications that need to be done.

Are Nats tickets, massages, beach towels, meals, snacks, golf outings, clothing, considered gifts? I can only imagine what parking tickets are considered. That is really a Legal issue.

The bereavement flowers certainly fall in this category. So do retirement gifts. That is very clear.
Attachments:

Another lovely Admin. We even had to pay a resort fee.
Attachments:

Educational conference at Harvard for three people, it looks like. Registration $3450, plane tickets $1000 or so, hotels at $200+ a night, and I am sure they did not eat cheap. I have no idea if all of this came out of the ECA or if it was a combination of funds.
Attachments:

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another lovely Admin. We even had to pay a resort
> fee.

Madison Admin addendum-

According to reservation services at Lansdowne, Room 601 is a deluxe suite with a wet bar, two balconies, King bed, Living room. Hence the huge price tag compared to the others.

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Educational conference at Harvard for three
> people, it looks like. Registration $3450, plane
> tickets $1000 or so, hotels at $200+ a night, and
> I am sure they did not eat cheap. I have no idea
> if all of this came out of the ECA or if it was a
> combination of funds.

FCPS handwritten purchase orders - seriously? How fucking world class is that. This shit is shameful. These retreats and conferences went out 10 years ago in commercial businesses.

I don't really care about the orders being done by hand or in a computer.

I care about that I am worrying about how many kids are in my children's classrooms, and these people are out buying $70 steak dinners and luxury suites and getting massages and we are paying for it.

What happened to the GSA limits when traveling and why are they doing what are basically meetings that could be done in a local school building? Why are they tallying up all these expensive local restaurant bills? They aren't entitled to those.

I took at look at the school regulations on the meals that Facts put out. I am not an expert on this, but it looks like the only local meal reimbursement is the $11.50 for a required activity outside of regular working hours, either that or they can claim mileage (so they can drive home and cook their own damn dinner). And only if they aren't paid that supplement.
If they are attending a local or non-local seminar or training etc. and they are charged for a meal as part of that, they are reimbursed actual cost. With a receipt. If they are traveling out of town, NO CREDIT CARDS ARE TO BE USED FOR MEALS. They are paid perdiem or paid off of actual receipts if they are charged as part of a conference.
So, does anybody understand why we are paying hundreds of dollars on local and non-local restaurant meals?
It seems to reason that there shouldn't be any restaurant charges on the school credit cards. So why are there so many????????????????

!

This is misuse of public funds. Take the credit cards away from them.

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Educational conference at Harvard for three
> people, it looks like. Registration $3450, plane
> tickets $1000 or so, hotels at $200+ a night, and
> I am sure they did not eat cheap. I have no idea
> if all of this came out of the ECA or if it was a
> combination of funds.


hold on. why are the names of the staff from oakton hs who went to harvard blacked out?
they are public employees, paid with taxpayer money!! then they use more money from taxpayers to go on boondoogles and cover up who went??


seems like a few schools have shown up more than others. oakton is one of them.
what the hell is going on?? who is minding the money??

Forestvale78 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the facts Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Educational conference at Harvard for three
> > people, it looks like. Registration $3450,
> plane
> > tickets $1000 or so, hotels at $200+ a night,
> and
> > I am sure they did not eat cheap. I have no
> idea
> > if all of this came out of the ECA or if it was
> a
> > combination of funds.
>
>
> hold on. why are the names of the staff from
> oakton hs who went to harvard blacked out?
> they are public employees, paid with taxpayer
> money!! then they use more money from taxpayers to
> go on boondoogles and cover up who went??
>
>
> seems like a few schools have shown up more than
> others. oakton is one of them.
> what the hell is going on?? who is minding the
> money??


Oakton and Madison parents have money. They are and will remain happy until each of their little snowflakes don't get into UVA, etc.

The Oakton names were Eddy, Waxman, and Taylor. At least, that is what was on the ECA report for 2013. The names should NOT have been blacked out on the reports as I specifically asked who went and yes this is public information. At least they were doing something besides checking into a swanky essentially local hotel like the other Admins. (Madison spent about $600 on that one deluxe suite at Lansdowne, for example. Did you see the charges for room 601?) I am not passing judgment on this particular situation. I am just putting out The Facts. This school system is obviously NOT broke, they are NOT hurting for money, and "everything is on the table". If they are cutting services for children, should the adults tighten their belts, also?

I pulled the 14 schools with the highest demographics first. Mclean, Langley, Oakton, Madison, and all the others. Every single school will have their ECA information posted here and all will be highlighted for examples. Equal Opportunity!!!!!!!!! No singling out!!!!!!!!!!!!

Equal Oppourtunity? well Barbara, since you are listing names, should you list your own Barbara Brown. Why not use your own name Barbara Brown?

Here is another Admin in lovely St. Michaels, Maryland on the Eastern Shore. Looks like it came with a Sunset Cruise.

At least $3000.

Paid for with public dollars, of course.
Attachments:

Hopefully this will work. Just lovely.
Attachments:

it works-open it and click on home

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here is another Admin in lovely St. Michaels,
> Maryland on the Eastern Shore. Looks like it came
> with a Sunset Cruise.
>
> At least $3000.
>
> Paid for with public dollars, of course.


Our Principal at Fairfax went on a retreat and cruise at St. Michaels with his staff?

I can't even afford to take my wife there. Doesn't someone have to approve if the Principal spends money on himself?


Of course if we complain our kids will be targeted so no parents will put their kids through more trouble than they already experience. I can't imagine the Fairfax teachers will complain either because of the same reason. It's tragic because this is sickening.

Yeh the cruise was a nice touch. It was probably just out on the Bay, but still...

I personally thought the 600 smackers spent on the one bedroom suite at Lansdowne took the cake. That was for the Madison principal. They probably all needed a place to congregate!

Couldn't they congregate in a lecture hall in a school and save the money? How much time do you have to congregate when we are also paying through the nose for dinner and breakfast for them? Between that and sleep and a shower and a shave, most of the hours are taken.

I am trying to stick to the facts but iliadandodyssey made my day.

So we are up to tickets to the Nationals, staff parking tickets that we pay for out of public funds, massages, multiple Admins/retreats/vacations whatever you want to call them, meals at multiple fine restaurants, catered breakfasts and luncheons and God knows what else, clothing for 300 staff members per school, beach bags and towels for 300 (McLean, remember?), staff golf outings....and a partridge in a pear tree.

The FHS faculty has asked human resources and the school board to investigate the financial spending at Fairfax High School. 18 teachers and the principal went to Seattle for an all expenses paid conference while budgets were being cut.The Principal has been organizing a second trip to the Mid-West this August once again all expenses paid: including flight, meals and hotel. Why isn't this being investigated? There has also been other questions regarding spending.

Concerned FCPS parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The FHS faculty has asked human resources and the
> school board to investigate the financial spending
> at Fairfax High School. 18 teachers and the
> principal went to Seattle for an all expenses paid
> conference while budgets were being cut.The
> Principal has been organizing a second trip to the
> Mid-West this August once again all expenses paid:
> including flight, meals and hotel. Why isn't this
> being investigated? There has also been other
> questions regarding spending.


Goldfarb better not be going to Seattle on a boondoggle. His keister is already in a sling with parents at Fairfax and, I get the sense, some teachers.

If this is really happening what can be done to stop it and get someone in FCPS paying attention to what is going on at the school?

Again, great work by the Facts! Kudos to you for taking on this massive undertaking. It's not an easy task. Thank you.

And iliad&Odyssey - you are so correct in pointing out what happens if you make complaints in FCPS. Tragic AND criminal. Our tax dollars at work. Makes me sick to think of the systemic corruption that occurs.

I am skimming the headlines and see that MoCo School Board voted to give up their county credit cards due to improper charges and other problems.

Taking away the credit cards, giving people strict guidelines and limits on what is necessary/appropriate/proper (since nobody has a clue), having them pay out of their own pocket and then submit for reimbursement-a powerful incentive to cut frivolous spending. I thought from the very beginning of government plastic that it was a really bad idea. This is what happens. Once the money is pledged, it is very difficult to recoup it from the person who put the plastic down.

But, there are also problems with the purchase orders and checks issued. Incredibly bad judgment all over. You shouldn't have to be told to not pay personal parking tickets or buy Nationals tickets out of public funds. A baseball game retreat my eye.

Have any local media--Washington Post, TV news stations, radio stations--picked up this story? If not, does anyone know someone with whom to bring it up?

Shapiro from the Post knows all about it.

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shapiro from the Post knows all about it.

Is the Post inclined to do a story, or is it a political matter? Thank you for your hard work on this. Seems like you are filling a void left by the local media.

WAIT WAIT WAIT. I have not nearly looked at all these posts. But people seem to be conflating two issues. This is NOT taxpayer money. It is optional parking fees, parents are NOT obligated to pay these. And fees from use of buildings and vending machines...ALSO optional. I have no problem giving principals some flexibility to try to keep their staff, who are underpaid and overworked, lunches on work days, end of year get togethers and awards, and pay for educational conferences for them to attend which benefit our students. Of course, there are some who will abuse, and the fact that they have to account for where the money goes should suggest they are not trying to hide anything. Some of these staff have had students commit suicide. Do you thing they might need mental health services? I have no problem looking at the statements, but the rush to judgement that our dedicated public servants are mis-using tax dollars is not factually correct.

I don't have a problem with some of this. It doesn't matter if some of this is optional. Some of this money isn't. These are still PUBLIC dollars, and you can't do things like pay personal expenses out of public dollars. You should also exercise restraint. This money is under the umbrella of the School Board, no matter what.

I don't think they are entitled to lunches on workdays. That is a personal expense. You are talking government, NOT private industry. It looks like the only thing they are supposed to be getting is the $11.50 for a meal if they are required to work outside of normal working hours, and only if they don't receive a supplemental salary because they do this kind of work. I have seen this in other school system audits. This is nothing new or unique. There is also any required meal at a local conference. That is reimbursable. Just because you want to go out to eat with some of the staff is not a justification for use of public dollars. There are also GSA guidelines for out of town travel.

The general current practice seems to be to go to a swanky place and put it on the school plastic.

MoCo School Board completely re-did their guidelines on some of this stuff.

I am trying to stick to putting out the facts, but I think it is pretty obvious what my feelings are on some of this. That is why I am putting out the public record and let the general public start speaking their minds and hold the county officials accountable for their expenditures.

This information is very factually correct and from the feedback I have gotten from dozens of friends, family, neighbors, etc., they are not supportive of most of the expenditures, particularly in view of the budget cuts. They all feel there needs to be more specific guidelines on how to use this money.

I have more reports coming and 11 more schools to go.

I don't think using the money the way they have is illegal. But, that doesn't make it right. Taking the administrative staff on a retreat (and they are already paid more than the teachers) seems to be a misuse to me. Lunch for all the staff on a workday? Not so much. However, I would prefer for it to be used for the kids.

^This is about ethics. If I pay a fee to use a public building, should they tell me how that fee will be used (what the fee is for)? I have already paid taxes and I am a member of the "public" and this is a public building. I am assuming that the fee covers cleaning the building, heating, or whatever---things that would be a burden to other taxpayers who are not part of my private group activity. If they tell me that the money went for Nationals tickets for a retreat, should that bother me? Would that make me believe that they have plenty of tax money to cover the maintenance and functioning of the building? It's not so much the fee per se that bothers me. It's the fact that the fee is used for nonessentials and my taxes keep going up.

Is money generated by public officials on public property part of the public domain? Should it be spent in ways that are responsible to the public? Without the publicly funded parking lots, fees would not be possible. Without the publicly funded building, vending machines would not exist. Without the taxes provided by the public, children would not congregate to use the vending machines.

This money paid may be OPTIONAL, but it is being generated by public officials on public property and then given to those officials to use in any way they choose. Does this look correct to you? I suppose the feds could start charging parking fees and taking their vending machine money and letting their agency heads use the money for "retreats" and "restaurant meals and such. How would that be perceived by the taxpayers?

Some of the usage is probably illegal/in violation of local regulations and a lot of it is unethical and/or smacks of horrible judgment. I am going to leave it at that.

I know these people work very hard, but there needs to be some oversight, accountability, and more specific guidelines. They all chose a government job. They owe the public some explanations. This has gotten out of control.

Delusional-

This is public money. It is generated by use of a public building and public land and public property, the money is kept in a public bank account, and no they should not be using it in any way they choose. That is what the principals' personal checking accounts are for.

All of this blows my mind. We have people who supposedly are "administratively certified" doing stuff like this. Maybe they should have to take a basic course in ethics when they get certified (if that would help at that stage anyway)??? It makes you wonder how they make decisions regarding the students (that are fair and balanced) if they can't figure out that spending money on some of this is unethical? No doubt most of the custodians who could make better decisions. Seriously.

Ethics training is certainly in order, as are more specific guidelines. And oversight.

If you can't grasp that going to Pulcinella, Morton's, George's at the Cove in La Jolla, Artie's, Bazin's, Maggiano's, Listrani, Capital Grille, and all the other places that I saw, and forking over hundreds of public dollars for a meal for whoever just because you think it is a great idea, is completely unethical and inappropriate, you need some serious help. Same with $600 suites, luxury local and non-local "retreats", staff massages, golf outings, $1700 ice cream orders, $400 smoothie deliveries, $200-$400 donut and breakfast runs, $12,000 on staff clothing, thousands of dollars of gifts and flowers for staff, etc.

These people work for the government. It's different than private industry.

100% agree. Apparently they are comparing themselves to hedge fund managers though.

"It's good to be King."

royalty????????? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "It's good to be King."


Part of running an organization is learning to have effective meetings for 8 people that don't cost $3000.

When the Fairfax principals start using money to hire hookers and buy the best coke this side of Medellin for staff parties, let us know. Until then, this is just bullshit stuff that "the facts" wants to bring up. Let's call this what it is; "the facts" has a personal vendetta against the Schools. Only God knows what bullshit, Northern Virginia-only story "the facts" has from the past where some principal or other administrator told this batshit fucking crazy person the word "No." And now fuckheads like "the facts" hound ridiculously for reports that show me things that I could give two shits about. Shirts for the teachers? Who cares. Embezzlement? That would be a problem. Breakfasts for our kids' teachers? Who fucking cares. Flying first class on a school field trip? That would be a problem...

Again, let me know when the high school principals fund sex orgies in their gyms and pay the teachers to make meth in the chemistry labs. Otherwise, Jesus Fuck, please take a visit to schools outside of Fairfax, come back in a year, and tell us then how bad Fairfax Schools really are! Having lived in four different states in my life, it's better than a lot of other places and to think otherwise shows what an immature, ignorant, sheltered cunt you are.

I agree with LameNews...all this posting from 'the facts' seems like a vendetta. Was their kid denied a parking spot? haha

Seriously, you could argue they could be more thrifty but they aren't breaking laws. Teachers have had pay freezes and no step increases since 2009. Buying them lunches or ice cream is easily justified as morale and welfare. The federal government and military do it all the time. Because they are not paid as much as the private sector. And they have a very high stress job.

See, Fairfax skols are so much betterergooder!

iliad&odyssey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the facts Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Here is another Admin in lovely St. Michaels,
> > Maryland on the Eastern Shore. Looks like it
> came
> > with a Sunset Cruise.
> >
> > At least $3000.
> >
> > Paid for with public dollars, of course.
>
>
> Our Principal at Fairfax went on a retreat and
> cruise at St. Michaels with his staff?
>
> I can't even afford to take my wife there. Doesn't
> someone have to approve if the Principal spends
> money on himself?
>
>
> Of course if we complain our kids will be targeted
> so no parents will put their kids through more
> trouble than they already experience. I can't
> imagine the Fairfax teachers will complain either
> because of the same reason. It's tragic because
> this is sickening.

You say anything you want. If they give you crap, you dish it right back. What a bunch of wimps. These people sound like greedy idiots.

LameNews Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When the Fairfax principals start using money to
> hire hookers and buy the best coke this side of
> Medellin for staff parties, let us know. Until
> then, this is just bullshit stuff that "the facts"
> wants to bring up. Let's call this what it is;
> "the facts" has a personal vendetta against the
> Schools. Only God knows what bullshit, Northern
> Virginia-only story "the facts" has from the past
> where some principal or other administrator told
> this batshit fucking crazy person the word "No."
> And now fuckheads like "the facts" hound
> ridiculously for reports that show me things that
> I could give two shits about. Shirts for the
> teachers? Who cares. Embezzlement? That would
> be a problem. Breakfasts for our kids' teachers?
> Who fucking cares. Flying first class on a school
> field trip? That would be a problem...
>
> Again, let me know when the high school principals
> fund sex orgies in their gyms and pay the teachers
> to make meth in the chemistry labs. Otherwise,
> Jesus Fuck, please take a visit to schools outside
> of Fairfax, come back in a year, and tell us then
> how bad Fairfax Schools really are! Having lived
> in four different states in my life, it's better
> than a lot of other places and to think otherwise
> shows what an immature, ignorant, sheltered cunt
> you are.


So what school do you work at? This is all unethical and improper. I worked at a school and the principal used all these little perks to compensate for being a shitty administrator. I actually heard him say several times after the students got out early for the day for everybody to take the rest of day off. For the same reason all the free lunches, Ice cream parties etc. etc. was that no one was getting raises and to try to make the troops happy, which they never were anyway. I could see the owner of a company saying since there are no raises thus year just take some afternoons off even though we are paying your salaries.....not

You don't have to suck up to these people. They took money that you gave them and spent it on themselves instead of your kid. I would give them Hell.

You can give people the world and they are still going to be unhappy. I see no reason to try and placate them with ice cream and let the administrators eat filet instead of buying things for the kids.

"The federal government and military do it all the time."


^NOT TRUE AT ALL! We have to pay for EVERYTHING. I can't even take a visiting professor to lunch (unless I pay or he pays). We pay for any lunches, retirements, parties out of our own pockets. There are very strict rules.


It's also dang weird to say that you don't care until the principals start hiring hookers. Wow, you have some pretty high standards for how your tax money is used.

"So what school do you work at? This is all unethical and improper. I worked at a school and the principal used all these little perks to compensate for being a shitty administrator."


This is a BIG problem. I worked at a school where the administrator went even further---overlooking leave slips for certain favored teachers and letting them take time off. If you weren't a favored teacher, too bad. Of course you could exploit this and threaten blackmail once you found out about the "secret favor" system (and I saw teachers doing that too). I left. The administrator is still there and the atmosphere is pretty bad. This happens with the money spent as well (certain teachers got to go on the junkets and others did not). This is what the lack of regulation and credit cards can lead to. You can't wait until the administrator brings in hookers. It's too late.

Tighten up FCPS!

Funding the classroom---yes.

Giving us a salary scale that means something---yes.

Not wasting our time with insane rules, paperwork, and pointless meetings---yes.

Attempting to understand what we do and helping us to do it----yes, yes, yes.

Ice cream and T shirts----NO.


Having lived in four different states in my life, it's better than a lot of other places and to think otherwise shows what an immature, ignorant, sheltered cunt you are."

I think you just showed what an ignorant, immature person you are.