Atlantic City Spends $20k Per Student… and for Ashanti?

Blood pressure alert, Save Jerseyans. Don’t read this post if you (1) have a brain and (2) suffer from hypertension.

I’m not a doctor, but I do recognize a maddeningly disgraceful situation when one presents himself.

According to The Atlantic City Press, Grammy-award winning singer Ashanti Douglas received $20,000 for a June 1st appearance at Atlantic City High School. She reportedly met with a small group of younger, middle school-aged students and participated in some sort of interview on the high school’s radio station.

$20,000 worth of work? Right… I’m sure. And better still? The AC Press discovered that the money used to pay Ashanti “came from funds in a district budget account designated for the improvement of instructional services.” Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Donna Haye was unrepentant:

She was paid like any other vendor,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Donna Haye, who will take over as superintendent July 1. “We budget for special events and saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We wanted to bring in someone young who would connect with the students.”

Well good for them! And how did meeting Ashanti help their test scores, Ms. Haye? Did she open these kids up to the opportunities that accompany academic success.

Are you angry yet, Save Jerseyans? If not, I can do you one better. The paper ALSO reports that one of the school board members is Ashanti’s godmother! She abstained from the vote, but I find it awfully hard to believe that the board’s knowledge of her close relationship to Ashanti didn’t influence the end result?

First off, everyone who approved this expenditure should be sacked. Period. End of story! Clearly these folks aren’t fit to serve as stewards of our children (and our cash).

Secondly, the district’s decision is even more appalling when you consider how much money non-A.C. taxpayers are spending to educate the children of Atlantic City. Under the newly proposed education funding formula, Atlantic City would “suffer” a $1.47 million state aid reduction. It’s not an Abbott District; all the same, I doubt A.C. schools will miss it. Atlantic City’s K-12 public schools received $15,215,713 in state aid for the 2011-2012 school year and spent $24,142 per pupil. 

I wonder if that city’s students — or their parents? — feel like their kids are getting a $24,142 per year education? Or if they can imagine a better use for $20,000 than a private concert with pop star? I bet you and I could! So can the non-AC residents who are paying property taxes to support… Ashanti?

 

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8403 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

8 Comments

  1. Seriously????

    The inmates are running the asylum. Another argument for the opportunity scholarship act!

  2. How is it the business administrator and Superintendent are not being prosecuted for misappropriation of funds

  3. This has brought about many problems for the people of Libya.
    At one stage or another, every man woman or child will
    be faced with the void of clash of clans hack tool no survey.
    This is to avoid endangering your own device along with virus.

  4. I drop a comment whenever I like a article on a site or I have something to valuable
    to contribute to the discussion. It is a result of the sincerness communicated in the post I read.
    And on this article Atlantic City Spends $20k Per
    Student

  5. Naked, bound and hanging by her wrists, she is forced to affirm her faith even as
    she is beaten, and the invasiveness of priest’s crucifix thrust into
    Shola’s bosom only enhanced my sense that a kind of rape
    was taking place. There is nothing better to ease the pain of a break up than to pamper yourself with some
    useful stuff. Area five – Russia (alright, previous Russia), Eastern Europe, India, most
    of Africa, North Korea, Mongolia.

  6. Use the cash from your old games you have traded in to afford brand new ones.
    After carried out Golem can be summoned with the assist of dim elixir.
    Without our hacks it will take you ages to reach your
    level.

  7. This has brought about many problems for the people of Libya.
    If you want to be a parent who is active and knowledgeable about your kid’s video game
    time, put in some hours playing their games on your own. If you enjoy the trial version, you can purchase the full version with confidence.

Comments are closed.