Jul 2, 2012
Hat Tip to Steve Esack
I tip my hat to Steve Esack, education reporter for The Morning Call. This morning he reveals that the recently hired public relations officer for the Allentown School System has a history of being loose and free with public school money. He apparently was cited in the past for ethic violations, concerning the use of a school district credit card for his personal purposes; But, there's a much more disturbing question about the article. Why does Allentown need a PR man? Our main problem has been poor hiring, by both the school administration, and the school board. Zahorchak was hired because he had been a Director of Education under Rendell. In reality, it was a political appointment of favor, not a surprise in Pennsylvania. This PR man apparently rode the coat tails of a previous such appointment. Although I recently praised the school board, here's hoping that they dump their new PR man, and the position itself. I'm on the mailing list of a private contractor who currently handles the communications for the district. She does an excellent job, for a fraction of the cost.
UPDATE: This story made the headline of Monday's hard copy edition. How pathetic that the School District hired a person for public relations at $87,000, and got this result. How pathetic would it be for taxpayers to now pay this guy to defend himself? Time for both the gentleman and the position to quickly depart. Time for Russ Mayo and the School Board to realize that taxpayers are disappointed that they would still hire glorified bubble blowers in these hard economic times. I now deeply resent my 2.6% tax increase.
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Hay, it's all about PR for the ASD!
ReplyDeleteThat's the whole deal man. Image.
The Morning Call found the ethics report using the search phrase "Keith Pierce and Lancaster" on Google.
ReplyDeleteThat was hard.
Almost $90,000 per year for a Public Relations staffer with a 4 year education! They could have hired an honest and competent professional for half the cost in today's employment market. Why do the poorest school districts waste the most tax dollars?
ReplyDeleteI think the ASD board members should be pretty pissed at Russ Mayo, they are getting laughed at because ASD administration is so inept
@12:59, i believe that PR should be a job by everyone getting a check from the ASD, especially all the existing administrators. beyond that, there should be no such position until which time we have teachers tripping over each other.
ReplyDeleteI know of a dozen retired or semi-retired communications professionals who would gladly take that account for a fraction of that sum. One wonders who this guy's 'champions were here in Allentown. Let's start with local politicians 'serving' in that also-broke city.
ReplyDeleteWhat is one PR softie going to write, talk, smoosh about the Allentown School District? did this guy even go to William Allen High? I guess not! Why not hire or promote from within. Why not hire someone who already works for the District, has some history with it, has some staying power and some commitment to the cause, not some overpaid schmuck in a suit from out of town. what does he know? Does he even care?
ReplyDeleteWheres the school board in all this?Dont tell me this happened under their radar.
ReplyDeletethey approved the hire, but the vetting is supposed to be done by the superintendent's office. i hope now that they reconsider the position entirely; they don't need it.
ReplyDelete