American Educational System

[runrussellrun]

Betsy D.,our grand and glorious Secretary of Education,has an idea. Let's cut funding for the Special Olympics.Those lame and lazy,crippled and crazy retards,get all the money they need from private contributions.They are worse money grubbers than the myriad "welfare queens" that live on the wrong side of the tracks. So let's cut 'em off from ANY federal funding.If they need a bag of pretzels or a bottle of water,they should all get jobs or beg.

Certainly not a good look, for Devos and tRump, but the Special Olympics will be fine without the tax payers dollars. Beyond the main,HQ in cherry blossom town, (DC) many states have special olympic "franchises". Maybe a shot across the bow that most of them could reel in the wasteful spending they have. The main one (DC)spends more than it takes in. (according to the 2016 990 form) Not well run. $18 million for various fundraising/mailing services???? Something a little sketchy about NOT being able to find information on LW Robbins/Holliston mass. (who got $12 million). Website is down. Phone contacts don't exist. LW Robbins has other big name non profits as well.

http://990finder.foundationcenter.org/9 ... ion=Search

Not that it matters, but have a family member that is retarded. Been involved my entire life. Find it a little untawdry that JANET FROETSCHER makes a half a million a year in salary and the HQ/Washington DC spends $4.7 in travel. When it's such a volunteer driven charity.

****After doing some more digging, it looks like LW Robbins has morphed into RKD group, which does NOT show the Special Olympics as a client. https://rkdgroup.com/work/

According to the 990 from 2017, the most recent, major fundraising now goes to Production Solutions, Vienna, VA. They got a cool $13.4 million. Wonder how much they raised

[ChairmanOfTheBoard]

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/20 ... d-saying-/

“I am thankful that every living cop will one day be dead, some by their own hand, some by others, too many of old age #letsnotmakemore,” Mr. Clover reportedly tweeted in November 2014.

“I mean, it’s easier to shoot cops when their backs are turned, no?” he reportedly tweeted in December of that same year.

“People think that cops need to be reformed. They need to be killed,” he reportedly said in an interview in 2016.

[ChairmanOfTheBoard]

some good points made here in this video: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/03/us/ivy-l ... index.html

particularly around how much weight is given to the institution's name.

[CU77]

On the admissions scandal, by a former HS counselor at a wealthy LA private school:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archi ... ls/586468/

[HooDat]

How is ANYONE the least bit surprised about this?

[a fan]

I am. I thought these people would simple take those ridiculous sums of money, donate it directly to the schools in question....and gain admission like civilized 1%ers.

Funny thing is, that's legal. You'd have to spend years explaining how "that's different" from bribery to aliens from Mars.

[holmes435]

I am. I thought these people would simple take those ridiculous sums of money, donate it directly to the schools in question....and gain admission like civilized 1%ers.

Funny thing is, that's legal. You'd have to spend years explaining how "that's different" from bribery to aliens from Mars.

Quite the interesting two-tiered system we have. I was listening to some university president call into question the legacy preference as well.

Brooksie had it right

[jhu72]

Interesting article, but I am not buying the claim towards the end of the article that these people are all or even mostly people who had great familiarity with the American educational system at the college level and felt it was something they had lost, it was their right. That bit was pure nonsense. A lot of these parents were not graduates of elite schools from reading newspaper articles on the scandal. Lori Loughlin never graduated from college for example, I am not sure she attended for even a semester, and she is the WORST person? I think a more fitting description would be these folks were just rich dicks, used to buying whatever they wanted. The Trump base MAGA analogy is a real stretch in my opinion.

[ChairmanOfTheBoard]

On the admissions scandal, by a former HS counselor at a wealthy LA private school:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archi ... ls/586468/

i particularly winced at this part-

“Keep in mind I am a lawyer,” Caplan said at one point, according to the affidavit. “So I’m sort of rules oriented.” And, later, “I’m not worried about the moral issue here. I’m worried about the, if she’s caught doing that, you know, she’s finished.”

and this one-

“Thanks again for making this happen!” And, “What are the options for the payment? Can we make it for consulting or whatever … so that I can pay it from the corporate account?” He can. “Awesome!”

thanks for sharing!

[HooDat]

I am. I thought these people would simple take those ridiculous sums of money, donate it directly to the schools in question....and gain admission like civilized 1%ers.

Funny thing is, that's legal. You'd have to spend years explaining how "that's different" from bribery to aliens from Mars.

The difference is that the folks we are reading about are PIKERS. If you want to donate money to get your kid into an Ivy league the old fashioned and "legit" way, you have to donate HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars just to get noticed. I know people that have donated six-figures to get their kids into middle schools....

But what this kerfuffle is about was a series of schemes that let the folks who can't afford buildings bribe other (little) people to get them in....

[a fan]

The difference is that the folks we are reading about are PIKERS. If you want to donate money to get your kid into an Ivy league the old fashioned and "legit" way, you have to donate HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars just to get noticed. I know people that have donated six-figures to get their kids into middle schools....

Exhibit 1A that we need to tax the rich more. Clearly they don't have better use for the money they have.

Jeezus H Kristmas, what is wrong with Americans? Unreal.

How did people this stupid get that much money in the first place....that's what I want to know.

[HooDat]

The difference is that the folks we are reading about are PIKERS. If you want to donate money to get your kid into an Ivy league the old fashioned and "legit" way, you have to donate HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars just to get noticed. I know people that have donated six-figures to get their kids into middle schools....

Exhibit 1A that we need to tax the rich more. Clearly they don't have better use for the money they have.

Jeezus H Kristmas, what is wrong with Americans? Unreal.

How did people this stupid get that much money in the first place....that's what I want to know.

right??!!??

[MDlaxfan76]

I am. I thought these people would simple take those ridiculous sums of money, donate it directly to the schools in question....and gain admission like civilized 1%ers.

Funny thing is, that's legal. You'd have to spend years explaining how "that's different" from bribery to aliens from Mars.

The difference is that the folks we are reading about are PIKERS. If you want to donate money to get your kid into an Ivy league the old fashioned and "legit" way, you have to donate HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars just to get noticed. I know people that have donated six-figures to get their kids into middle schools....

But what this kerfuffle is about was a series of schemes that let the folks who can't afford buildings bribe other (little) people to get them in....

Small exaggeration. Most Ivies a cool million is very likely to get it done, at least for the kids who are otherwise reasonably capable of doing the work and not total f-ups behaviorally.

So, just for giggles, I'll take the counter argument to those who want to suggest an equivalence to 1) a big donor 'buying' admission preference for their kid versus 2) a parent bribing an individual to obtain preference or 3) a parent paying for a false academic test or other phony academic submission.

The big donor's $ benefit the whole school, all of the other students. It does cost the admission opportunity of a non-donor.
But it also helps provide tuition support for those who could otherwise not afford the school. And there are advantages provided for kids from adverse backgrounds.

#2 has the same admission cost, but the benefits flow solely to the person bribed.
#3 is flat out fraud, same admission slot cost.

[6ftstick]

I am. I thought these people would simple take those ridiculous sums of money, donate it directly to the schools in question....and gain admission like civilized 1%ers.

Funny thing is, that's legal. You'd have to spend years explaining how "that's different" from bribery to aliens from Mars.

Quite the interesting two-tiered system we have. I was listening to some university president call into question the legacy preference as well.

Brooksie had it right

Do you know that while he was VP Joe Biden and his son flew to China on Airforce 2. 10 days later young Biden received a1 billion dollar brokerage contract with the CHINESE GOVERNMENT. His little company. Goldman Sachs has no such deal. Nor does Morgan Stanley. But little Biden does and he has NO EXPERIENCE as a trader.

[a fan]

The big donor's $ benefit the whole school, all of the other students. It does cost the admission opportunity of a non-donor.
But it also helps provide tuition support for those who could otherwise not afford the school. And there are advantages provided for kids from adverse backgrounds.

It's immoral and unethical. And it steals a spot from someone else. And it should be wholly illegal for any State owned University, or any University that receives Federal funding (i.e., all of them).

[MDlaxfan76]

The big donor's $ benefit the whole school, all of the other students. It does cost the admission opportunity of a non-donor.
But it also helps provide tuition support for those who could otherwise not afford the school. And there are advantages provided for kids from adverse backgrounds.

It's immoral and unethical. And it steals a spot from someone else. And it should be wholly illegal for any State owned University, or any University that receives Federal funding (i.e., all of them).

That's a reasonable point of view.
I was simply pointing out the differences.

I don't think #1 is anywhere near as bad as #2 and #3, because in #1 there is at least some aspect of a balancing 'good'.
No such in #2 and #3,

[MDlaxfan76]

I am. I thought these people would simple take those ridiculous sums of money, donate it directly to the schools in question....and gain admission like civilized 1%ers.

Funny thing is, that's legal. You'd have to spend years explaining how "that's different" from bribery to aliens from Mars.

Quite the interesting two-tiered system we have. I was listening to some university president call into question the legacy preference as well.

Brooksie had it right

Do you know that while he was VP Joe Biden and his son flew to China on Airforce 2. 10 days later young Biden received a1 billion dollar brokerage contract with the CHINESE GOVERNMENT. His little company. Goldman Sachs has no such deal. Nor does Morgan Stanley. But little Biden does and he has NO EXPERIENCE as a trader.

Actually a private equity deal, but your point does appear to be a real issue for Biden.
Not sure how he goes after the Trump nepotism and sense of corruption with that baggage.

Not sure how this fits in this thread, unless you are referring to the advantages for the rich or well connected.

[6ftstick]

I am. I thought these people would simple take those ridiculous sums of money, donate it directly to the schools in question....and gain admission like civilized 1%ers.

Funny thing is, that's legal. You'd have to spend years explaining how "that's different" from bribery to aliens from Mars.

Quite the interesting two-tiered system we have. I was listening to some university president call into question the legacy preference as well.

Brooksie had it right

Do you know that while he was VP Joe Biden and his son flew to China on Airforce 2. 10 days later young Biden received a1 billion dollar brokerage contract with the CHINESE GOVERNMENT. His little company. Goldman Sachs has no such deal. Nor does Morgan Stanley. But little Biden does and he has NO EXPERIENCE as a trader.

Actually a private equity deal, but your point does appear to be a real issue for Biden.
Not sure how he goes after the Trump nepotism and sense of corruption with that baggage.

Not sure how this fits in this thread, unless you are referring to the advantages for the rich or well connected.

exactly.

[HooDat]

The big donor's $ benefit the whole school, all of the other students. It does cost the admission opportunity of a non-donor.
But it also helps provide tuition support for those who could otherwise not afford the school. And there are advantages provided for kids from adverse backgrounds.

It's immoral and unethical. And it steals a spot from someone else. And it should be wholly illegal for any State owned University, or any University that receives Federal funding (i.e., all of them).

Bull-malarkey!

Those "gifts to the school" fund scholarships and infrastructure that allow countless more students attend the school than the one or two spots the kids take up. Are you telling me with a straight face that Harvard can't cram one or two more kids per year into the admissions class in exchange for millions of dollars that fund scholarships, research, and enhanced learning environments? If that is the case, then those egg-heads aren't as smart as they think they are....

[HooDat]

I would be disappointed in UVA if they didn't take a handful of kids every year in the knowledge that doing so is helping fund the school's better aspirations.