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OAKLAND ISD SUPERINTENDENT; REDMOND CONVICTION UPHELD
Topic Started: Nov 16 2006, 05:06 PM (342 Views)
ILIkeLI
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http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...13/1009/METRO02

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Redmond conviction upheld

State appeals court backs misconduct charge, but one judge strongly disagrees.

Jennifer Chambers / The Detroit News

LANSING -- The conviction of former Oakland Intermediate Schools Superintendent James Redmond on misconduct and conflict-of-interest charges was upheld by the Michigan Court of Appeals on Wednesday.

Redmond was fired by Oakland Schools in January 2003 after he was accused of failing to disclose his and his son's positions with companies doing business with the district, issuing employee severance packages without board approval and failing to follow the district's business contracting policy.

He was convicted and sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation.

Court of Appeals Judge Jessica Cooper dissented in the case, saying Redmond's constitutional right to confront witnesses was violated when prosecutors submitted as evidence a resolution from the ISD board to terminate his employment.

Cooper said the convictions should be overturned.

Redmond's appellate lawyer Robyn Frankel said Redmond is disappointed by the ruling. Two likely appeals options are asking for a clarification on the appeals court ruling or appealing directly to the Michigan Supreme Court, she said.

Cooper's dissenting opinion contained plenty of merit, Frankel said.

"The document the prosecutors admitted was written by individuals who didn't come to court. How do you cross-examine that?" she said.

Redmond, had served two weeks of his six-month sentence when he was released from the Ingham County Jail on March 2004 after an appeals court ruling. He posted a $25,000 cash bond and remains free on bond.

You can reach Jennifer Chambers at (248) 647-7402 or jchambers@detnews.com.
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c3hull
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This is the first time I've heard about this case. Does anyone know more details?
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one_observer
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Oakland Intermediate School District an example of ISD abuse

The Oakland Intermediate School District (OISD) is an example of this, and of
much else that is wrong with ISDs. On Sept. 25, 2001, OISD voters were asked
to approve special education and vocational education millage increases of
1.1704 and 0.2279 respectively. The Oakland Press referred to this vote as a
"stealth" election, because less than 8 percent of registered voters participated.
The cost to run this special election was approximately $300,000. Passage of the
new millage meant that the owner of a home worth $150,000 is now paying an
additional $104.87 in new taxes each year: $87.78 for special education and
$17.09 for vocational education programs.

Within weeks of the vote, OISD announced it was building a new $29
million headquarters to house its nearly 600 administrators. Of the $29
million, $18 million came from the new taxes imposed for special and
vocational education. Some have referred to the new building as a state-of-
the-art "taj mahal."

This abuse of the public trust was partly responsible for the ouster of James
Redmond, the OISD superintendent at the time. When he was fired Redmond was
collecting $270,000 a year in salary and "stipends." On top of this he was
reimbursed for his Social Security taxes, and had an unrestricted expense
account, on which he rang up $133,588 in 2002 alone. An example of the many
questionable expenses picked up by taxpayers was personal flying lessons for
Redmond.

Redmond may be gone, but his big compensation package is not unusual at OISD.
State Rep. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, represents citizens and taxpayers who live
within the area covered by the district. She chairs a House subcommittee that
has been granted subpoena power in its investigation of OISD shenanigans.
Among other things, Johnson has discovered that more than 20 OISD
employees have gross annual salaries of $100,000 or more.
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one_observer
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Trustees
Dr. James Redmond

Dr. James Redmond is currently the Superintendent of Oakland Schools, the Intermediate School District serving 28 districts in southeast Michigan that educate over 200,000 students. He came to Michigan in 1995 after 17 years in Oregon where he served as School Psychologist, Teacher, Special Education Director, Assistant Superintendent, Chairman of a Regional Vocational Education Consortium, appointee to the State Council on Personnel Training and Development, acting and interim School District Superintendent, and Superintendent of the Yamhill Education Service District.

Dr. Redmond was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois; received his BA from Loyola University of Chicago; his MA from Western Illinois University; and his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. His writings include What’s Right with Education; Leading in Complex Organizations; Excellent Teachers-What Makes a Difference; Administrator Survival and the Culture of Leadership; and Public Schools…Michigan’s Choice. He is an advocate of Total Quality Management and led a quality improvement process that earned Oakland Schools the Quality Leadership Lighthouse Recognition Award in 1999.

Dr. Redmond’s work in building education business partnerships has received national recognition: the GM Tech Academy received the Wall Street Journal Excellence Award and was an American Vocational Association award winner in 1998. He was extremely instrumental in the implementation of Project Excel, a business education partnership with Apple Computer that received Oregon’s Curriculum Excellence Award in 1994; and has continued to bring technology into the classroom with programs such as KidzVid and the Oakland Learning Interchange. Dr. Redmond chaired the Governor’s Reading Plan for Michigan in 1999, an initiative to help guarantee that all children acquire skills in reading; and helped develop another award winning program for junior and senior high school students called the StudentCorps. He is currently a co-sponsor of the Tri-County Alliance for Public Education; Vice-President of the Oakland Schools Education Foundation; and volunteer in the Oakland Schools Hand-in-Hand Program where one hour a week is devoted to helping out in an Oakland County classroom.

Dr. Redmond is most proud of his wife Jacquey and his three children Jim E., Jeffrey, and Jessica.

Dr. Redmond is committed to serving children and promoting equity and excellence.
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one_observer
Principal
Article of Interest - Oakland Schools
Board fires Oakland's school chief
It says he used money secretly and personally.
by Lori Higgins, Detroit Free Press, February 1, 2003
For more articles visit www.bridges4kids.org.


Oakland Schools Superintendent James Redmond was fired Friday as the Board of Education revealed he paid more than $680,000 in secret buyouts and used staff development money for personal flying lessons.

Board members -- before voting unanimously to end Redmond's contract -- said he deliberately kept information from them, took action without getting authorization and failed to effectively use district staff.

They said Redmond, superintendent since 1995, "has lost the faith, trust and confidence" of the board and staff.

Redmond, through his attorney Joseph Golden, said he plans to sue the district for breach of contract. Redmond had nearly four years left on a contract that paid him $174,585 this year. He will not receive a severance package.

"We will challenge this in court," Golden said.

Redmond's firing comes on the heels of an investigation that raised questions about the district's relationship with companies that have close ties to Redmond, lax billing practices and the use of special education money to help fund a new $29.5-million building and a technology project.

The investigation was done by the Whall Group, an Auburn Hills forensic accounting firm hired by the board in June to look into questions raised by district employees.

The Michigan Attorney General's Office is reviewing the Whall Group report.

"The board action was certainly warranted," Deputy Superintendent Dan Austin said, pointing to the Whall Group findings and the new information the board revealed Friday. "The resolution speaks for itself."

Austin, whose role in the district grew after the release of the Whall Group report, likely will be named interim superintendent at the board's Feb. 11 meeting.

Board Trustee Janet Thomas read a 7-page resolution that included the board's reasons for the firing.

The board said it found:

Redmond deliberately, and "for his own purposes and pleasure," arranged the resignations and retirements of 15 top-level employees since 1996 and paid buyouts ranging from $3,443 to $139,564. The board was unaware of the buyouts.

Redmond used $450 in money earmarked for professional development to take flying lessons.
Employees who learned about the lessons Friday were surprised.

"It's shocking to the staff, it's shocking to the board, it's shocking to anyone who cares about this organization," said district spokeswoman Shelley Yorke Rose.

Without providing full details, the board cited 12 reasons for firing Redmond, including his failure to substantiate his claim that he had a legal opinion to justify the district's relationship with the MINDS Institute, an education technology company. Redmond is chairman of the company's board of education.

Oakland Schools Board President Helen Prutow, who had been a staunch advocate for bringing Redmond to Oakland County, was teary.

"This is extremely difficult," Prutow said. She said the board will investigate how the buyouts happened without the board knowing.

Golden said the board fired Redmond because of "unfair pressure that has been created."

Some pressure came from the West Bloomfield Board of Education, which voted Monday to urge Redmond's termination.

Janet Jopke, superintendent of the Troy School District, said, "Our expectation as educators is that we act with a high level of integrity, and so this is a difficult time for all of us."

Alex Bailey, superintendent of the Oak Park School District and a long-time Redmond supporter, said he believes Redmond still has much to offer.

"He's done so much for schools, especially for highly needy youngsters," Bailey said. "I'm surprised to hear the findings."

Redmond was not in the board room when the vote was taken. He left the building 20 minutes before the board adjourned a 3 1/2-hour closed meeting.

Contact LORI HIGGINS at 248-591-5625 or higgins@freepress.com. Staff writers Matt Helms and Marsha Low contributed to this report.



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Momforone
Principal
Board members -- before voting unanimously to end Redmond's contract -- said he deliberately kept information from them, took action without getting authorization and failed to effectively use district staff.

Boy, does this sound familiar??????????? <_< <_< :( :ph43r:

At least this board had the guts to do something about it. I wonder what our board is going to do?
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