Comments on: Detroit schools near bankruptcy http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/07/detroit-schools-near-bankruptcy/ Thinking and Linking by Joanne Jacobs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:51:22 +0000 hourly 1 By: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/07/detroit-schools-near-bankruptcy/#comment-48782 Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:44:33 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/?p=10332#comment-48782 So which chapter are they filing under? Chapter 7, or Chapter 11? Regardless of the chapters the are opting for, it's really a shame that a BASIC building block of an economy has to go for bankruptcy. So where's the support from the government? Do we have to leave the school to capitalism? So which chapter are they filing under? Chapter 7, or Chapter 11? Regardless of the chapters the are opting for, it’s really a shame that a BASIC building block of an economy has to go for bankruptcy.

So where’s the support from the government? Do we have to leave the school to capitalism?

]]> By: Linda F http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/07/detroit-schools-near-bankruptcy/#comment-48781 Linda F Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:21:18 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/?p=10332#comment-48781 I remember Barbara Byrd-Bennett from her tenure as CEO of the Cleveland Municipal Schools. She brought in her own highly-paid crew of cronies, installed them in positions, and proceeded to run the school finances into the ground - $ 100 MILLION in the hole over her last 3 years. We had to lay off 1400 teachers, and slash many programs to the bone. I ended up moving to SC for a job. Good thing, too. I love it here. Nice to be treated with some dignity. Kids are very nice and respectful, too. I remember Barbara Byrd-Bennett from her tenure as CEO of the Cleveland Municipal Schools. She brought in her own highly-paid crew of cronies, installed them in positions, and proceeded to run the school finances into the ground – $ 100 MILLION in the hole over her last 3 years.

We had to lay off 1400 teachers, and slash many programs to the bone. I ended up moving to SC for a job. Good thing, too. I love it here. Nice to be treated with some dignity. Kids are very nice and respectful, too.

]]> By: Richard Aubrey http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/07/detroit-schools-near-bankruptcy/#comment-48780 Richard Aubrey Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:23:53 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/?p=10332#comment-48780 Bobb, having heard of ghost employees, arranged for all paychecks to be picked up in person with identification, rather than mailed or directly deposited. At the end of the exercise, about 250 checks were unclaimed. Figure a couple of dozen folks were sick or out of the country. Means about 225 ghost employees. Figure that some are being paid as part-timers, some as maintenance, and that the average ghost pay was one-third of a teacher's pay. That means that the payroll of about 75 teachers was going to non-employees. Then there were administrators caught pilfering various funds and laptops by the dozen if not score. Bobb, having heard of ghost employees, arranged for all paychecks to be picked up in person with identification, rather than mailed or directly deposited.
At the end of the exercise, about 250 checks were unclaimed.
Figure a couple of dozen folks were sick or out of the country.
Means about 225 ghost employees. Figure that some are being paid as part-timers, some as maintenance, and that the average ghost pay was one-third of a teacher’s pay. That means that the payroll of about 75 teachers was going to non-employees.
Then there were administrators caught pilfering various funds and laptops by the dozen if not score.

]]>