Head Start issues simmerBy Andy Paras (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Patsy Gardner Previous storiesDeadline looms for Head Start; published 01/13/08 Agreement could be near on Head Start funds; Partners to meet Wednesday to hammer out budget details; published 01/22/08 Head Start chief going?; published 07/29/08 MONCKS CORNER — The chairwoman of the local Head Start Policy Council criticized the board of directors Wednesday for shutting out parents and the community while allowing the recently resigned director to obstruct the program's potential. Val Patrick, chairwoman of the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Counties Head Start and Early Start Policy Council that is composed of parents and community members, said nothing has changed since Patsy Gardner resigned Monday. She said the Berkeley-Dorchester Counties Economic Development Corp., which runs the Head Start Program, continues to keep the Policy Council out of the loop, even though the two groups are supposed to share program governance. "There is no shared governance," Patrick said. "The board is acting the way it wants — without the Policy Council's input — and it's been that way for some time." Patrick said the economic development board has yet to tell her why Gardner resigned, and why it chose Betty B. Harrison as Gardner's interim replacement without the Policy Council's input. She said she found out about Harrison's appointment from the newspaper. Gardner took over as executive director in 2005 as federal investigators looked into the possible mismanagement of about $10.5 million over a five-year period. Her resignation comes as federal and state officials are examining the possibility of misused funds. Patrick said Head Start continues to serve about 1,700 children and their families, despite the economic development corporation's "ill management." Patrick blamed the economic development board for allowing Gardner to obstruct the program's mission by not performing its fiduciary responsibilities. The two agencies were involved in a rift earlier this year when the council said the board refused to share information about its spending. The problem was solved after the council initially refused to sign off on the $12 million budget. "The executive board refused to compel Ms. Gardner to provide current, complete and accurate financial reports," Patrick wrote in a statement. Patrick criticized Harrison's appointment, and the lack of communication with the council, as "history starting to repeat itself." Harrison, she said, was demoted as Head Start director in 2000 because of deficiencies in the program. She said Harrison was the purchasing/quality specialist when the U.S. Department of Health ad Human Services temporarily terminated its contract with the economic development corporation in 2005 because of deficiencies. Patrick said Harrison was Gardner's adviser in Head Start matters up until Gardner's resignation. Harrison did not return a call to her office Wednesday. She said Tuesday that she did not have the authority to discuss her background or her appointment with reporters. Chairman Levy Berry and attorney Robert Sasser also did not return calls Wednesday. Berry on Tuesday declined to release Gardner's resignation letter on advice of counsel. The newspaper has filed a request for the document under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. |
Article tools |
|
Notice about comments: Charleston.net is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Charleston.net does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not charleston.net. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Full terms and conditions can be read here. |
Comments
This article has 20 comment(s)
Posted by GG on July 31, 2008 at 1:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Too bad. I know students benefit from well-supported, properly run Head Start programs. If money has truly been misused, she needs to be prosecuted and made to replace the funds. As a taxpayer that is the least I demand.
Posted by moonpie on July 31, 2008 at 6:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How many times has a head start program had money stolen from one of its leaders? This has happened more than once in our area alone. Check her lfe style, home, cars, all the personal stuff and I bet it won't match her level of pay!
Your right the kids suffer in the end.
Posted by twolane on July 31, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you, Val Patrick, for telling it like it is. What funds are paying for the infamous Robert Sasser, the Alabama-based attorney? Just exactly, what is Betty Harrison's background? Get to the nitty-gritty....not just beach trips - what about California, Las Vegas, Chicago, Florida, etc. etc. etc???
Posted by captivated on July 31, 2008 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So they replaced Bonnie with Clyde. The more things change around here, the more they stay the same. Time for an audit.
Posted by suec on July 31, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
how many more days will I open up the local page and see this womans face?
I think it hs been 3 or 4 already.
The Al Parish in a purple suit pics so away and now we have this everyday. AAARRRGH
Posted by ysillyme on July 31, 2008 at 8 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you have a bad foundation, the house that is built on it is doomed to fail. I also would very much not like to see this woman's face in tomorrow's paper. I notice in the triad area of N.C. more and more of these social programs now go b-4 a nosey citizen revue board, not a bad idea.
Posted by madeaboutit on July 31, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
P.G. should not go down by herself. Her so-called Executive Team should go down to. Ron Conners and expecially John Singleton who was BDEDC'S so-called Personnel director who walked away with $50,000. Who knows it may be even more.
FBI, do a investigation Asap before they skip town.
Posted by RightisrightWrongiswrong on July 31, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Twolane: Your question of what funds will pay for Sasser- Answer is Head Start. At least 70% of the cost of Sasser the Alabama based attorney and CRI the Alabama based CPA firm they now use, at the recommendation of Sasser, are both paid with Head Start funds. Also they are using an outside consultant in replace of a Finance Director at a very nice hourly rate, paid mostly with Head Start funds. The consultant is good and knows her business but why did Pasty go through FOUR Finance Directors within three years?
Why didn't Sasser and CRI disclose to the OEO what was discovered during the audit done in June 2008? Why did the OEO have to find out on their own?
Val Patrick thank you for standing up, I know you will continue to do so.
Posted by inmyopinion on July 31, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am an employee of Head Start....however, I am low man on the totem pole...a teacher. The hypocrisy I have witnessed with this corporation is ridiculous! One hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing! Promises are made to the employees only to be be forgotten by BDCECC. It burns me up that we can't make a living on our wages and the executives are being sent to Myrtle Beach for "meetings". Who is being overlooked? The children! The only reason I continue with Head Start is because I want to help the children. Many times the only kind word, hug or hot meal is the one they have with us. In addition, some people employed by HS through BDCECC should not be working with children! The verbal abuse is frightening! Many times I have reported this behavior to the exec's ....and was told it would be dealt with...and it never has! If BDCECC isn't doing their job....why are they running Head Start?
Posted by ysillyme on July 31, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gadsden~
Any chance ya could get Lizard man to eat my sister-in-law?
Posted by reallysad on July 31, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wish this program could get aligned with the school districts.. This would allow better preparation for the children and the adults would have a real retirement plan.. Do you know that the retirement plan sucks at headstart..
Posted by zoomru on July 31, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Head Start Issues......SIMMER ?????
SIMMER !!!!!
I KNOW WHAT IS COOKING, BASTING, AND BURNING !!!!
THE LEGISLATORS WHO FAIL IN OVERSIGHT AND MOST OF ALL.....ON-LINE TRANSPARENCY !!
Legislators......YOU RAVENEL'ers !!!! You need to get your head into the 21st CENTURY !!! You are the ONE's that need a HEAD START and a BACKSIDE "NOVEMBER" FINISH !!!
YOU ..BOYz don't fool US !!! Programs like this serve a needed service. Your blind eye and lack of transparency allow BAD APPLES to ruin the BUSHEL!! We do not need another level of Government too.. you FOOLS!! Transparency would allow folk like US to observe from OUR COUCH and raise the FIDUCIARY.."AMBER ALERT" before the whole BUSHEL is rotten.
Chairman Levy Berry and attorney Robert Sasser..... also did not return calls ..." WHat are you two gentlemen waiting for?? To notify the NEXT of KIN ?? Chairmen Berry...I don't know how you know this attorney SASSER; BUT dump this sqoundrel for sorry advice !! Get out in front of this...NOW!! Don't let me see you crawling under your desk or FEZ !!! Children need a confident ..VOICE!!
For heavens sake ...don't be TIMID !!!
Maybe we need to SIMMER YOU two !!!......
Posted by sbs920 on July 31, 2008 at 1:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
inmyopinion, I hope better days are ahead
Posted by Being_Real on July 31, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Response to madeaboutit
Madeaboutit,
You have made some serious allegations in your post. If you truly are adamant about what you have stated, do 2 things for me: 1 – tell us how you know these things if they are true, 2- tell us who you are. If you speak the truth, these 2 items will be easy for you to facilitate. Also, I’m sure the Head Start staff and Policy Council has been apart of these lavish trips.. i.e. Atlanta, Myrtle Beach, Detroit, Orlando, Washington, DC, San Francisco, and San Antonio. If this is as fact as you say it is, why aren’t the people that are posting these comments discussing these trips and the people that were spending these much needed Head Start funds on their ‘lavish trips’? If some of you do your homework, you may find out that some of your Head Start staff were paid very well (probably the same or better than this ‘executive team’ that you speak of. Why didn’t you discuss the ‘possibility’ of Head Start staff purchasing items and taking them for their personal use? Also, how true is the statement that Head Start employees haven’t received a raise?? Is that a true statement or did Head Start employees receive a raise in 06 and 07???I wonder what the 2 guys that you mentioned would think/say/do if they read your post and it wasn’t true. Would they request your information thru the FOIA and slap a lawsuit on you for (libel), (slander), and the reason being b/c of your (ignorance)??
FYI: Before you start calling names, please make sure your information is FACT. If it is not FACT, you could be sued for libel and/or slander. Just an outside perspective b/c unless you know specifically what the FACTS are, what you say really has no substance and could lead to a lawsuit, especially if you are potentially ruining someone’s integrity.
Www.dictionary.com
li·bel –noun
1.Law.
a.defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.
b.the act or crime of publishing it.
c.a formal written declaration or statement, as one containing the allegations of a plaintiff or the grounds of a charge.
slan·der –noun
1.defamation; calumny: rumors full of slander.
2.a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report: a slander against his good name.
3.Law. defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures, etc.
ig·no·rance –noun
the state or fact of being ignorant; lack of knowledge, learning, information, etc.
Posted by Jere10 on July 31, 2008 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, some people think it is best to yell and point fingers at others to distract attention away from one's self!!
Posted by madcity on July 31, 2008 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Patsy Gardner is not the director of HeadStart, she is the excecutive director of BDCEDC the agency that headstart in this area falls under. The director of Headstart, which for obvious reasons I won't put her name out there, the teachers, the family service workers, the cooks, the custodial staff, the teacher assistants are all wonderful people that care about children and their families, and they deserve to continue to serve them. The only thing that needs to happen is the National Headstart folks need to find another agency to oversee the HeadStart program, and you will see how wonderful the program really is when it is ran correctly. I worked for HeadStart in another state for nine years. It took me a total of two days to see that BDCEDC was not ran the way HeadStart is supposed to be ran. I eneded up staying for a liitle bit before I found another job, ans I got to work with some of the people that I mentioned before. You can keep most of them in place, and Find an agency to do things right, and it will be okay. As for the funds, their could be a number of reasons for that. I would just wait for the report before I comment on that part of it, but if someone stole money from these needy families, and taxpayers, I would like to see them prosecuted.
Posted by madcity on July 31, 2008 at 5:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm sorry, I forgot about the bus drivers.
Posted by Iluvemykids on July 31, 2008 at 10:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
after reading all about this I am glad that I did not go to work for Head Start after all. I was hired and made a surprise visit in the center I was suppose to be and I was like OMG I heard teacher asking for things that they should of not, two many children in the rooms, I work with some one now in another center who left Head Start after 10 years, said they were more concern what went on paper then went on in the classroom, and salary well,,, My daughter lives in another state far from here and the head start there is top knotch,, if something is ran right, money put where it suppose to be,, children, teachers and supplies, you will have a super program, I was told I have a job there any time, I do have a degree, but no thank you,,, sad,,,
because the ones who truley suffer if the children and the families who should of been first,
Posted by squirt16oz on August 1, 2008 at 12:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Regardless what is said, the old claim that the leaders and teachers are being made victims of the media and public will come up again, in one form or another, and nothing will be done to make the system work for the kids. When are they going to be the focus of the program? Why is saving everyone's job and reputation more important than accountability IN EVERY PHASE OF THE PROGRAM?
Maybe the solution is to clean house once and for all—fire the people running the show and get some REAL educators whose first concern is the kids and results....and unless and until this is done...nothing will change!!
Posted by madeaboutit on August 12, 2008 at 3:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Being_Real: This comment if for you. Yes! I was wrong. It wasn't $50,000 it was $75,000. Yes, I didn't know the money was took home and put away in a Safe Box. Answer me this question. How can a Personnel Director take home money that does not even belong to him? What kind of Fraganackel Bull sh$% is this? First of all I'm not stupid, the Federal Bureau of Investigators are not stupid. He should of took his time to think about a story, a little bit more convincing. If he thinks he can get away with this. He is sadly mistaken. Are these the words that were used, was it his ignorance and his malicious behavior that the Agency has been slandered. Think about it!