Letter to the Editor: World helps connect dots
BY Fred Dunn, Bartlesville
Sunday, February 17, 2013
2/17/13 at 7:58 AM
Thank you for the Feb. 10 story on the Foundation for Excellence in Education and the education business lobbies. I find that my habit of a complete read-through of my Tulsa World helps me to connect the dots for my perception of what is happening in our world.
For instance, following the 2010 elections both Insurance Commissioner John Doak and School Superintendent Janet Barresi found ways to circumvent statutes limiting their employment of non-eligible staff employees on the grounds that their salaries would not be paid from state funds.
Doak maintained his employment of term-limited loose cannon Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, would utilize increased fees from insurance companies doing business in the state.
Barresi said that her office would be receiving funds donated by educational groups. This nebulous explanation did not identify the organization(s) furnishing the funds.
Thanks to the World's research, we can connect the dots and learn how our State Dentist of Public Education Destruction received not only funds but also guidance in rating and modifying instruction and schools.
In so doing, she also received assistance from the Legislature as it annually sought to starve public schools while Barresi sent inordinate amounts of the funds needed by those schools to accomplish state mandates to other educational venues.
Even though the state Department of Education vows that a contract awarded to a Barresi favorite was won "through an open and fair bidding process," I'm looking for the Tulsa World to continue to keep Oklahoma aware of actions by the state, political and commercial interests cited in the World report.
Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
