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And don’t doubt we would see the same thing here if Ohio Governor Ted Strickland wasn’t beating the drum about vetoing expansion of charter schools.
The report released this week by Colorado Ethics Watch chronicles the ethical transgressions of some of Colorado’s most colorful political characters over the last year.
Highlights of the report include:
…
Colorado State Board of Education Member Bob Schaffer
Schaffer received the “Dishonorable Mention” award for failing to recuse himself from votes.One conflict of interest stems from campaign contributions Schaffer received from David and Ann Brennan, who operate White Hat Management — an embattled charter school firm that runs 50 Life Skills Centers around the nation. When the Denver Public School Board voted to close its poor-performing school, Life Skills appealed to the Colorado State Board of Education. Schaffer cast the the tie-breaking vote, forcing the Denver schools to continue the Life Skills program, and thus White Hat’s dip into an estimated $8 million in tax money shunted from the local public schools since 2003.
Schaffer has also previously failed to disclose conflicts of interest in other state board votes regarding Poudre School District charter schools, where his wife is a board member and their son is a student.
The Colorado State Board of Education has since adopted an ethics policy though critics contend it is weak and easily circumvented by ignoring conflicts of interest when the member’s vote is needed to achieve a quorum.
Read the full report at Colorado Ethics Watch.
Heartwarming, isn’t it? Especially when you see how much money Brennan, his wife and White Hat have put in the coffers of Ohio legislators.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:15 pm May 2nd, 2008 in Business, Campaigning, Elections, Government, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse
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9 Responses to “Colorado Ethics Watch finds direct legislative influence from David Brennan’s political donations”
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Brennan is odd man, he seem to think he is on a mission from god, or something? He is very wealthy he is not corporate; he has other companies I believe it is difficult to see how much holdings he has. He is not getting wealthy on charter schools he walked in the door as one of the have mores. He is wealthy and may have some sort of Midas touch?
I would not say the man is all bad, and would not assume all the money he is pumping into politic is from vouchers cycling through. If it is then that would be self-defeating but also mission critical for his charter schools, without political support they will not succeed they would or could loose the charter.
The more you fight off charter schools the more they have to spend, from a business perspective the only source of revenue for the charters is tax vouchers and they would consider political action as an expense to keep going.
I see Brennan as somewhat delusional; he first became wealthy through sale of some land to the national parks, that money then was used to purchase ailing manufacturing and turned profitable, he grew money, and learned the political process along the way. In his factories he witnessed poor reading and writing skills, he open classes to employees based on computer programs to improve those skills.
I believe these series of events made him feel god-like; it perhaps made him think he could do more and that is why he is doing what he is doing. However, nobody really knows how well those classes taught reading and writing. There was no state proficiency test to monitor the results.
The thing is the whole scenario needs to be examined, and I do not feel it is when you address it, it feels very political and you are actually forcing their hand, forcing then to be more political.
I at this point think there could be limits set on charters and there seems to be, they seem to be limited to districts that are deficient. I think charters would be very successful if they only accepted the best students, the 3.0 or better and those that have little or no truancy. However that is not as it seem the charter for the White Hat charter schools they are working with at risk children, and not setting high standards for admission they are working with the worst not the best.
They will loose, they are up against immovable objects conservative in liberal garb and those pre disposed to not perform.
The complaint against Bob Schaffer was first submitted by a leftist group called ProgressNowAction. Google them and see what kind of socialist views they have. Brennen most likely donated to Schaffer because he shared his views. Why would someone donated to someone with different principles. Then as soon as Shaffer makes a vote, there is a conspiracy.
Jill just because you are against charter schools, don’t try to demonize David Brennen. Have you ever met him? Do you believe that he has invested in education only for the money? Ask the parents of children who have escaped the monopoly of government schools how they feel about getting to choose where they send their child. I’m sure they are grateful that someone took on the teachers unions. Let parents decide where to send their children to school? My wife teaches in a government school in a class for special needs, she is hoping that SB 57 passes. You see she knows what is best for the children even if it is to go against the powerful teachers union..
Oengus – well, charters were conceived as schools that would fill niches not otherwise covered or included in a public school district’s services. It was to be something that embraced parents and the community in collaboration with the district. There are examples throughout the country where such a model does work and in Ohio, the best example is probably E-Prep in Cleveland.
The whole for-profit element completely changes the focus of the entities running the charters which should be nonprofits formed by the interested parties who will be building and implementing the curriculum. As others have written, if it’s for-profit the bottom line is the top interest, and even though free market folks will argue that no for-profit will stay in business if they don’t succeed, the fact is that profit-driven people will look to education like any other market and find the vulnerabilities and seize on them.
That’s what I believe has happened and is being done by White Hat and David Brennan.
Dave – ProgressNow is not a leftist group – when I read leftist, I think of Fidel Castro. Progress Now is a left of center, progressive group. Progress Ohio is related to Progress Now. I would consider them to the left of me, but that’s okay, because I’m quite sure they consider me not as progressive as they are. But I certainly wouldn’t call them “leftist” as in “leftist guerrillas.”
It sounds as though you have a real dislike for unions. You aren’t alone. But that doesn’t justify using tax-payer dollars as fodder for anyone’s profits that then moves on to legislators, to the tune of millions of dollars. Those are my dollars and I don’t want them going to legislators as pay to play money.
As for charters, I’ve written here a zillion times about charters and you can search on that term in my blog. But I have always said that the concept of charters is needed and desired, it has been the implementation, in Ohio, that has failed. Even the Fordham Institute – a huge charter school supporter – has done studies showing that Ohio’s rendition of charters has a lot to be desired.
Please, I don’t know what you know about me, but I am not the right person to be told, “You see she knows what is best for the children even if it is to go against the powerful teachers union.”
Dave – I got a joint degree in law and social work and worked at a children and family mental health agency for eight years, often doing education law. I spent a year in the juvenile court diagnostic clinic learning how to do amenability assessments and write reports on what is in the best interests of a child. I am intimately familiar with CASAs and appointed guardians and the term of art best interests of the child.
So please – while no doubt you love your wife and trust her opinion, I’m quite satisfied with my experience in also being able to discuss and analyze what is in the best interests of children. Not least of all because I have kids of my own as well, was a religious school teacher when I was younger and have volunteered in school for more than a decade.
Nope – don’t know Mr. Brennan. But sometimes it’s best not to know someone personally – because it can cloud your judgment. Do you know him personally?
Your point is very valid, however these charters are not supposed to be for-profit and I fully understand your prior post and the concern with the structure, the relationship or money exchanges.
I did some research but its difficult, companies do not have to disclose as corporations are required to do; however I have to also consider the potential value of the business model.
My point is this; the only accountability to the parents and children is to that of the state proficiency tests. Working with at risk children I would not expect miracles and that concerns me because it does not present any obvious way to evaluate results, to compare apples to apples.
I am seeing some evidence that Brennan has a supply chain behind him, that means he looks to be the owner of his suppliers that could be used to make money but also to reduce costs.
I am indifferent to the man, his lecture at the University of Ashland I found both interesting and offensive.
To me I would rather see the man apply his wealth and resources to children that have a higher probability of success and take those with demonstrated potential and insure that they go on to higher education.
I will be specific, Cleveland has a shortage of seats for 9-12 on the Westside, and they are looking at shifting seat from Lincoln West to John Marshall. We all know higher student to teacher ratios are not good.
I say look a wealthy man that wants to make a difference. I will be even more specific there is Jefferson Junior High, which is abandoned 25 blocks East of Lincoln West.
How many seats are needed, how many young people have a 3.0 and near prefect attendance? Does Brennan have enough money to reopen the school? Could it offer the young people the ultimate option, these children surely would pass the state proficiency test and could we make sure they all go to college?
Private schools are restrictive, they require standards and financial wherewithal, and they do not have the advantage of owning part of the supply chain. The option of sending your dedicated focused child to private school does not exist if you do not have the money.
The question is why are we not rewarding good behavior? Empower a person with something to aspire to, who is good enough to get the best education at no cost, those that are achieving already and against the odds.
Oengus, thanks for the thoughtful post.
Nonprofits have to have business models, too. They have to have acceptable outcomes to continue to receive support. The fact that charters involve public, tax-payer dollars is one of the key reasons why I object to a business model that would allow for profit that goes back to the individuals. A job well-done in education should be rewarded with rewarding the teachers, the students – the businessman? Well – I don’t just don’t see education in the classroom as something that should ever be dictated by the bottom line – no matter how close the best interests of the child follow behind.
I understand what you’re suggesting – that would be okay – but the problem in Ohio is that we do just fine with the cream of the crop, in general.
Go here – I wrote a ton about this for the urban education magazine, Catalyst Ohio, just this year (out this month).
It’s the kids who COULD be going to college or could be doing better but who don’t get the services (for whatever reason) that the “for sure” kids get.
We need to focus on that very large group if we are going to raise up Ohio.
Whether it’s by charters or not. So I’m not a huge proponent of just rewarding the ones who are succeeding – which isn’t easy for me to say since I have a profoundly gifted child or two.
Jill, Sorry I used the meaning of the word leftist from Webster’s which means ” the principles and views of the left; also: the movement embodying these principles”. I didn’t see anything about Fidel Castro in the definition, so I stand by ProgressNow being a leftist group.
As far as me disliking unions, wrong again. I’ve been a member of the IBEW for 30 years. But I realize they do the same thing that you accuse David Brennen of doing. They donate to politicians which have the same views as they do. At least Mr. Brennen uses his own money. I’m forced to have my dues going to people I would never donate to. Notice it is never a conspiracy when unions donate to legislators and the legislator votes in favor of the unions.
Concerning my statement about my wife knowing what is best for the children, I still stand by that one to. I wasn’t referring to you; I was referring to Strickland and the Teachers union. Sorry I wasn’t clear on that one. You’re right I don’t know you and I didn’t need to know about you. You see I do know my wife and being in the trenches for over 20 years is enough for me to respect her opinion. I don’t feel the need to list her accomplishments; she is a very humble person.
One more thing, what does working at First Energy have to do with anything? They have every right to donate to anyone they please. Just like the inions and David Brennen.
This will be my last post , I thought this blog wanted comments even if they differ from the posts.
PS . I’m for the Patriot Act so I don’t mind you looking up IP addresses.
Dave – different is excellent. But different doesn’t mean, “Oh, okay, Different. End of dialogue.” Different often means, “Okay – well – I think differently – and here is how I think differently.”
It’s a dialectic – that’s how I see it anyway. There have been times when there’s agreement to disagree. If you search on “ohio learn and earn” you will find lengthy comment threads between myself and a Jason Sonenshein – he is a libertarian (and a lurker – Jason – you consider yourself a libertarian for the most part, yes?) and we disagreed to the end – but we kept on expressing why we believed what we did.
You say that David Brennan uses his own money. I say he is using my money – he is using profits gained from running schools that have a lot of problems and aren’t being overseen properly and have been failing the same tests that the public wants public schools to pass. And he’s taking those profits and giving them to legislators in the hope that he can open up even more schools like that.
You are right – I don’t support that.
As for unions – I’ve had my chance to join and I’ve turned them down. I have problems with specific unions that related to work I was in but as a general rule, in many industries, they are necessary and do an excellent job for raising thresholds. However, I think I’m quite behind the curve in general when it comes to unions.
You misunderstand re: First Energy. It isn’t relevant except to the extent that it lobbies legislators in certain ways too, very often the same legislators that David Brennan supports.
Blogs don’t have a lot going for them but transparency is one thing. It’s taken me a long time to get accustomed to anonymous commenters – I really feel that if people take the time to comment, it should be something they stand by strongly enough that they put their name on it. I’ve never left an anonymous comment, ever.
But this is not a unanimous position among bloggers – I know that. I wanted to share it with you.
I know you said you won’t be back, but if you do return, I wish you’d say more about why you like for-profit education.
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