Thank You, Mayor Bing, for confirming some suspicions...

[Zacha341]

This is not surprising... after all education is a big money venture [[federally and state funded). With the teachers making the least in the new brave world of Charter Education.

April 21, 2011 - Kirk Lewis [[degrees in Accounting and Finance) is the new CEO of Cornerstone Charter Schools, replacing someone with a PhD and 2 degrees in Education...

[Locke09]

But this makes it seem like Kirk Lewis was given the CEO position at Cornerstone as a consolation prize for not getting the EM position he was supposed to get, and then getting "fired" by the Mayor who was "surprised" that Lewis was up for the position. It all seems so contrived.

I know a bit about how politics work around here and I know that sometimes people are sacrificed to maintain the leader's credibility, and then the sacrifical lamb is given some reward to keep their loyalty. But when you stick them in a charter school for two months and then pull them back out, what are you doing to the charter school and to education? What about the stability of Cornerstone, a school system with a very good track record? What about the children that charter schools are supposed to care more about than DPS? Eliminating DPS and adding more charters is supposed to eliminate the politics and the backroom favors isn't it?

[Novine]

"Eliminating DPS and adding more charters is supposed to eliminate the politics and the backroom favors isn't it?'

That's what proponents of charter schools would have you believe. Adding the profit element into the schools opens the door for more politicking and backroom favors.

[erikd]

Exactly. But you know, we ladies have been getting the finger pointed at our gender since the beginning.

*Adam holding the forbidden fruit, the outline of his bite clearly visible*...

"SHE made me do it!!!"

No, Kilpatrick's and Bing's CHARACTER is at issue here. Water seeks its own level. They sought out these women and other folks who are running this city into the ground. It's really too bad that we go for charisma over character, and style over substance, every time.

I agree with English, and will even take it a step further.

On this issue, Stephen Henderson is flat-out wrong, and his misogynist mindset has led him to a ridiculous conclusion where he blames the failures of Bing and Kilpatrick on their female appointees, instead of placing the blame where it really belongs.

Just like Kilpatrick, Bing has relied too heavily on a female aide, giving her responsibilities that far outstrip her expertise or experience...And now the aide is the subject of a whistle-blower lawsuit that threatens to put the mayor's relationship with the aide -- and his judgment -- on trial.
We all know how that ended for Kilpatrick -- with a $6.5-million jury verdict.

Henderson's assertion that the downfall of Kwame Kilpatrick was due to his over-reliance on an under-qualified female aide [[Christine Beatty), is incredibly misguided, sexist, and so absurd, that I can't believe the Free Press even printed it.

Kwame Kilpatrick was an incredibly corrupt thug, who abused his position and mayoral authority to turn the city government into a criminal enterprise for the sole purpose of enriching himself, his partners-in-crime, his friends, and his family. Christine Beatty was just one of the many cogs in the wheel, and she was certainly not responsible for leading Kilpatrick down the path to corruption.

[Gannon]

"Eliminating DPS and adding more charters is supposed to eliminate the politics and the backroom favors isn't it?'

That's what proponents of charter schools would have you believe. Adding the profit element into the schools opens the door for more politicking and backroom favors.

Even moreso because they are private enterprises, not subject to the same citizen disclosure as the public system is...<sigh>

[Zacha341]

Correct. Disclosure will be late coming and only by force! This is gonna be interesting to watch...... education is a cash cow that just will not be left alone. Not until she finally lays down and dies.

Even moreso because they are private enterprises, not subject to the same citizen disclosure as the public system is...<sigh>

[Hypestyles]

..if henderson had simply said "aide" and not "female aide" would that have helped?

[Locke09]

..if henderson had simply said "aide" and not "female aide" would that have helped?

Not for me. It's still not an accurate comparison. Bing appeared to have abdicated his responsibilities and allowed someone else to make his decisions for him. Some of those decisions overturned decisions he had already made [[reportedly). The person making those decisions was acting as a Chief of staff would be expected to act, which she was not. It was not an issue of corruption, but incompetence.

Christine Beatty was Chief of Staff and acted as such. Actions she took were often at the behest of Kilpatrick, not contrary to what Kilpatrick wanted. As someone already noted, Kilpatrick wasn't an innocent person being duped or unduly influenced or manipulated or directed by a woman.

Except that both aides were women, there really is no other similarity. So the comparison doesn't hold water and seems motivated by the fact that they were both women, whether you say female aide or not.

[Django]

Can someone tell me who Karen Dumas replaced when KK was voted in?

[SWMAP]

Marilyn Wheaton was Director of Cultural Affairs department until KK fired her & appointed Dumas, who had been working in Mayor's office and clashed with Beatty.

[Zacha341]

I had the opportunity to meet Ms. Weaton at a gala art event right before KK was enthroned. She seemed like a nice person all full of 'praise' for KK. Then he brought in all of his "peeps" into his royal enclosure and 'out-the-door' she and others [[who may have even voted for him) went!

Bing knew these individuals where still in place but did nothing. He's looking more worn-out and incompetent to the task before him.

Marilyn Wheaton was Director of Cultural Affairs department until KK fired her & appointed Dumas, who had been working in Mayor's office and clashed with Beatty.

[sehender1]

I agree with English, and will even take it a step further.

On this issue, Stephen Henderson is flat-out wrong, and his misogynist mindset has led him to a ridiculous conclusion where he blames the failures of Bing and Kilpatrick on their female appointees, instead of placing the blame where it really belongs.

Henderson's assertion that the downfall of Kwame Kilpatrick was due to his over-reliance on an under-qualified female aide [[Christine Beatty), is incredibly misguided, sexist, and so absurd, that I can't believe the Free Press even printed it.

Whoa.. overreact much?
1) I posted in here days ago about how I totally take the point that the "female" descriptor invited sexist connotations I never intended.
2) never, ever asserted that Kwame's "downfall" was about his over-reliance on Beatty. But before the scandal [[and this would have been true even if it had never happened) Kilpatrick had a lot of dissension in his administration over Beatty's scope of power, the way she dealt with things, and the concern that she had been promoted beyond her expertise or experience. That is exactly the same situation that Bing faced..
3) Even in the column, I blame Bing, not Dumas, for the problems. In the parenthetical where I disclosed that Dumas and I are friends, for example, I say she was in over her head and that Bing was the "one who tossed her there."

So despite my "misogynist" mindset,[[and really, do you know me?? it seems you'd need far more than even this one example to be able to level that accusation credibly) it's very clear to me who is responsible for the problems here..

[trstar]

The ironic thing is, that despite his former corruption conviction, Beckham served the past three Mayor's extremely well. Bing's first year ran relatively smooth with Beckham at the helm and has ran like a rudderless speedboat since Beckham's departure.

Beckham's work was a positive surprise.

Bing should have kept Warfield

[bartock]

I don't think this has any affect on Snyder's credibility.

As for the female thing, the problem that I have with several of the sound bites put forth in this thread is that Mr. Henderson noted that, as of now, no one has accused anyone else of a more than plutonic involvement between Bing and Dumas. I agree with most of what R8RBOB says and what Mr. Henderson said about Dumas. It appears that they were/are in over their heads. The Kwame comparison goes directly to a character issue that doesn't appear to exist.

Mea culpa on the mistake. Platonic.

Some ass on another web place pointed it out.

I've signed up on more than one occassion, but can't or won't get activated by the administrator.

Since obviously this is read over there, and since I can't get activated to address it in the proper place, a hearty F-you to Ya Mar.