Board Sends Off George Fornero

Updated May 22, 2006

On 5/21/06, the News reported (click to read the article) on how the administration did not tell the whole story to the public or even its own Board in order to promote the bond in 2003 and 2004 during an obviously looming financial crisis. It was never the case, as was pitched by the Superintendent and his consultants, that a new high school would help the imminent financial crisis. As far back as 2003 and up through the bond vote, the administration was keeping its own Business Services Director out of discussions about paying for the operation of the new high school. District employees and teachers said the district couldn't afford it. Still, the Superintendent, consultants and even one Board trustee concocted arguments to rush to build a facility they couldn't pay to run.

It's clear now why the Superintendent, from November, 2005 through March 2006, stone-walled when asked for documentation about projections the district's Operations and Maintenance budget in light of the bond (he even incurred taxpayer expense to have the district's law warn the requester that it was not in his best interest to pursue his request). Finally, a Freedom of Information Act request had to be filed to get unencumbered access to the documents.

Click here to read just a few actual AAPS administration emails from the documents received. Then write the AAPS and the Board and the Ann Arbor News about the manipulation of the Board and the public.

Why were the warnings of the AAPS's own Director of Business Services, Orma Lapp, ignored?
Why did consultants Peter Ways and Jack Baker control what information reached the public and the Board?
Why did Superintendent Fornero compare what he was involved in to the Enron scandal? Is this why he's leaving?
Why did Peter Ways ask that Orma Lapp be "forbidden" to talk to Ann Arbor News reporter, Anne Schimke?
Who exactly is Peter Ways anyway?

It was never the case, as was pitched by the Superintendent and his consultants, that a new high school would help the imminent financial crisis. As far back as 2003 and up through the bond vote, the administration was keeping its own Business Services Director out of discussions about paying for the operation of the new high school. District employees and teachers said the district couldn't afford it. Still, the Superintendent, consultants and even one Board trustee concocted arguments to rush to build a facility they couldn't pay to run.

	Fighting Mismanagement in the Ann Arbor Public Schools District "If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about answers" — Thomas Pynchon

Main Archives Page (New High School) Environment Land Use Traffic School size Demographics Safety Archaeology Alternative sites In the News About CRS Write a letter ! Contact Us Home Page	Manipulating the Board and the Public Updated May 22, 2006 On 5/21/06, the News reported (click to read the article) on how the administration did not tell the whole story to the public or even its own Board in order to promote the bond in 2003 and 2004 during an obviously looming financial crisis. It was never the case, as was pitched by the Superintendent and his consultants, that a new high school would help the imminent financial crisis. As far back as 2003 and up through the bond vote, the administration was keeping its own Business Services Director out of discussions about paying for the operation of the new high school. District employees and teachers said the district couldn't afford it. Still, the Superintendent, consultants and even one Board trustee concocted arguments to rush to build a facility they couldn't pay to run. It's clear now why the Superintendent, from November, 2005 through March 2006, stone-walled when asked for documentation about projections the district's Operations and Maintenance budget in light of the bond (he even incurred taxpayer expense to have the district's law warn the requester that it was not in his best interest to pursue his request). Finally, a Freedom of Information Act request had to be filed to get unencumbered access to the documents. Click here to read just a few actual AAPS administration emails from the documents received. Then write the AAPS and the Board and the Ann Arbor News about the manipulation of the Board and the public. Why were the warnings of the AAPS's own Director of Business Services, Orma Lapp, ignored? Why did consultants Peter Ways and Jack Baker control what information reached the public and the Board? Why did Superintendent Fornero compare what he was involved in to the Enron scandal? Is this why he's leaving? Why did Peter Ways ask that Orma Lapp be "forbidden" to talk to Ann Arbor News reporter, Anne Schimke? Who exactly is Peter Ways anyway? It was never the case, as was pitched by the Superintendent and his consultants, that a new high school would help the imminent financial crisis. As far back as 2003 and up through the bond vote, the administration was keeping its own Business Services Director out of discussions about paying for the operation of the new high school. District employees and teachers said the district couldn't afford it. Still, the Superintendent, consultants and even one Board trustee concocted arguments to rush to build a facility they couldn't pay to run. It's clear now why the Superintendent, from November, 2005 through March 2006, stone-walled when asked for documentation about projections the district's Operations and Maintenance budget in light of the bond (he even incurred taxpayer expense to have the district's law warn the requester that it was not in his best interest to pursue his request). Finally, a Freedom of Information Act request had to be filed to get unencumbered access to the documents.