Wednesday, July 25, 2012

?It is not a conflict? says school board appointee whose family ?wins ...


by Jon Pelto from Wait, What

Not a Conflict says Malloy school board appointee whose family company will get 60 of 130 new preschool slots in Bridgeport.

The Connecticut Post has picked up on the news that two daycare facilities that are personally connected to one of the Malloy Administration?s seven appointees to Bridgeport?s illegal board of education has ?won? nearly half of all the new preschool slots the state is funding in Bridgeport.

According to the CT Post, ?Nearly half of the new preschool slots awarded by the state to the city are going to a program that is part of the ministry of Rev. Kenneth Moales Jr., a state-appointed city school board member.?

The article continues that ?Kingdom?s Little Ones Christian Academy, an East End daycare and after-school program run by Moales? mother, Peggy Moales, and his sister, Kenya Moales-Byrd, is getting 60 of the 130 new slots awarded to the district and some $500,000 that goes with it?

Wait, What? Readers may remember a June 21st post about Moales and his conflict of interest.

Moales presently serves as the Vice Chairman of the school board that was appointed by the Malloy Administration when the State of Connecticut attempted to take over the Bridgeport Schools. Following a Supreme Court ruling that the State?s action was illegal, the appointed board was allowed to continue its work until a special election could be held to select democratically elected members of a new Bridgeport board of education, an election that will take place in September.

Moales, who is also one of the Democratic Party?s endorsed candidates for the new board, not only voted to hire Bridgeport?s present $229,000 part-time superintendent of schools Paul Vallas, but helped lead the effort to extend Vallas? contract in order to prevent the new board from selecting a different administrator.

As I wrote about a month ago, Kingdom?s Little Ones in Christ, Inc., a company affiliated with Prayer Tabernacle Church of Love, Inc., [Moales? church] had received approximately $600,000 in public funds for day care and after school services? from the City of Bridgeport over the past year and more than $2.2 million since 2006. You can find the details here: http://jonathanpelto.com/2012/06/21/rev-moales-its-called-freedom-information-act-even-applies-you/

As part of Governor Malloy?s ?education reform? effort, the City of Bridgeport is now getting its share of an additional 1,000 early care slots.

The CT Post writes that according to Bridgeport?s director of early childhood education, the slots were ?awarded based on strict state criteria that took into account whether providers had spaces immediately available, were already receiving early childhood slots from the state, had adequate and qualified staff and which were accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.?

Bridgeport?s School Readiness Council also plays a role in the allocation process and Moales? sister serves on that committee.

When the allocations were announced late last week, the City of Bridgeport took 40 additional early education slots, Moales? centers received 60 new slots and the remaining 30 will be given to other entities that provide these types of services.

When the CT Post asked Moales about the situation, he said that ?it is not a conflict ? I cannot apologize for being a leader in my community. I am not taking away anyone?s business?

While their corporate filings have not been properly maintained at the Secretary of State?s Office, Peggy Ann Moales, Kenneth Moales? mother, appears to serve as the President of Kingdom?s Little Ones in Christ, Inc. and the President of Prayer Tabernacle Church of Love, Inc.

The full CT Post story can be read at more: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-ed-board-member-denies-conflict-of-3729325.php

Source: http://blog.ctnews.com/kantrowitz/2012/07/24/%E2%80%9Cit-is-not-a-conflict%E2%80%9D-says-school-board-appointee-whose-family-%E2%80%9Cwins%E2%80%9D-half-a-million-dollar-contract/

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