Amy Frogge was president of the Nashville Board of Education. She is a public school parent and a lawyer. She heard that Philadelphia had hired a new superintendent and was paying $450,000 to a consulting firm to train the new superintendent. When she learned that the consulting firm was led by the former superintendent in Nashville, she wrote a letter of warning to the Philadelphia board. They ignored it. She decided to write one more letter, to be sure the Philadelphia board was fully informed. Now, it’s their problem.
From: Amy Frogge <amymfrogge@yahoo.com>
To: jwilkerson@philasd.org <jwilkerson@philasd.org>; lehinton@philasd.org <lehinton@philasd.org>; jdanzy@philasd.org <jdanzy@philasd.org>; mfixlopez@philasd.org <mfixlopez@philasd.org>; lsalley@philasd.org <lsalley@philasd.org>; cethompson@philasd.org <cethompson@philasd.org>; schoolboard@philasd.org <schoolboard@philasd.org>
Sent: Friday, July 1, 2022, 10:56:51 AM CDT
Subject: Joseph and Associates: A concise summary of what you are paying for in Philadelphia (with documentation).
Hi, everyone-
I hope this will be my last email to your board.
I’ve been sharing a lot of information on Twitter about the disaster that hit Nashville under Shawn Joseph’s leadership, but it appears that at least some of you are not active on Twitter. I want to make sure that you are fully apprised of what happened in Nashville as you move forward.
Here’s what happened in Nashville under Shawn Joseph’s leadership (with articles for your review as proof of my allegations):
1. The number of priority (low performing) schools nearly doubled. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/number-of-troubled-nashville-schools-shows-dramatic-increase
2. We paid out millions upon millions in sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuits. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/new-settlements-put-mnps-sexual-harassment-bills-near-2-million (The $2 million mentioned in this article was not the final tally; the cost continued to increase.)
3. We had major and ongoing problems with no-bid contracts for preferred vendors (costing millions), sometimes even for services that went unused. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/what-did-mnps-get-for-1-million-potentially-not-much
4. Joseph and his team broke the law and misled the school board to put these contracts in place. https://www.kshb.com/news/national/nashville-schools-investigation-by-wtvf-contracts-law
5. We had an independent HR report done that identified an employee morale crisis, cronyism and “unconscionable” practices. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/mnps-faces-morale-crisis-confidential-report-warns
6. Here’s what an award-winning HR executive had to say: https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/former-mnps-administrator-its-almost-as-if-isis-took-over-hr
7. Another respected Metro Nashville Schools employee on the HR problems:https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/administrator-accuses-mnps-of-pay-discrimination-retaliation
8. Dr. Joseph brought former Baltimore superintendent Dallas Dance, whom he claimed as a mentor, to Nashville to serve as a member of his Transition Team. Months later Dance was indicted on charges related to kickbacks on no-bid contracts. He went to prison. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/former-baltimore-county-superintendent-pleads-guilty-to-perjury-tied-to-kickback-scheme/2018/03
9. Around the time Joseph left Nashville, the state of TN recommended suspending Joseph’s professional educator’s license, which was required in his position as superintendent. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2019/03/26/state-education-board-seeks-disciplinary-action-against-nashville-schools-chief-shawn-joseph/3279612002/
10. Joseph’s license to work in Tennessee was later suspended. (Per the General Counsel for the Tennessee State Board of Education (via email): “Mr. Joseph’s license was previously suspended.”)
11. There was a lot more, too much to include in this thread, but this gives you a flavor: https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/what-you-need-to-know-about-shawn-josephs-controversies
12. Here’s some information on the national angle (that mentions Joseph): https://www.alternet.org/2019/09/another-school-leadership-disaster-private-companies-work-an-insider-game-to-reap-lucrative-contracts/
13. And this (also mentions Joseph): https://www.salon.com/2019/10/20/how-billionaire-charter-school-funders-corrupted-the-school-leadership-pipeline_partner/
After reading all of this, do you still think Tony Watlington needs advice from Shawn Joseph? I hope this dispels any questions about whether what you are hearing is misinformation.
As you can see, if you continue to move forward with Joseph and Associates, the $450,000 will be just the tip of the iceberg on spending.
Three Nashville school board members have now spoken with the media to warn Philadelphia against the use of Joseph and Associates. Any of us — and many more from Nashville — would be happy to share more about our experiences with you.
Philadelphia’s children are counting on you, and they deserve so much better. I wish you all the best of luck.
Amy Frogge, former Chair of the Nashville school board
Diane Ravitch's blog 
That string of mismanagement is what public corruption looks like. It seems more likely than not that Philadelphia’s school board regards that corruption as a feature, not a bug.
Eric,
I think its a feature of our society. These people move around on their ‘Lolita Express’ and never face the consequences.
How do we change that?.. Clearly, we can’t depend upon the decisions of our political structure. IMHO, the first thing to do is reduce the level of inequality in our society.
It is a problem when those making the decisions can be bought in order to undermine a public institution. It is clear that the Philly decision makers do not have the best interests of students at heart. Otherwise, they would be thanking Ms. Frogge for her diligence and changing course instead of ignoring the warnings.
You can’t have corrupt leaders without a whole slew of corrupt vassals and minions, and that takes shares of the stolen funds going to kick-backs and pay-offs.
To a degree, yes, one can have corrupt leaders without a whole slew of “corrupt vassals and minions”. William Black coined the phrase “control fraud” in relation to the Savings and Loan Scandals that he exposed. Remember the Keating 5? Most of the time those “vassals and minions” know nothing about the fraud but believe they have legitimate and legal jobs to do.
“He developed the concept of “control fraud”, in which a business or national executive uses the entity he or she controls as a “weapon” to commit fraud. . . Control fraud occurs when a trusted person in a high position of responsibility in a company, corporation, or state subverts the organization and engages in extensive fraud for personal gain. The term “control fraud” was coined by William K. Black to refer both to the acts of fraud and to the individuals who commit them.
The concept of control fraud is based on the observation that the CEO of a company is uniquely placed to remove the checks and balances on fraud within a company, such as through the use of selective hiring and firing. These tactics can position the executive in a way that allows him or her to engage in accountancy fraud and embezzle money, hide shortfalls or otherwise defraud investors, shareholders, or the public at large. A control fraud will often obtain “investments that have no readily ascertainable market value”,[1] and then shop for appraisers that will assign unrealistically high values and auditing firms that will bless the fraudulent accounting statements.[2]
Some control frauds are reactive in the sense that they turn to fraud only after concluding that the business will fail.[3] Opportunistic control frauds, by contrast, are attracted to a criminogenic environment where it is harder to detect fraud, e.g., as a result of deregulation.” (from wiki)
I’m just saying I used to be puzzled the Capitalist Mind was so poor at “following the money”, as we say, but now I’m guessing it’s just the old “None So Dumb As Those Who Already Know But Want Us To Believe They Don’t”.
KEY understanding
$450,000 for consulting??!! That massive fee alone raises deafening alarm bells and warnings. Such fraud would make Ponzi green with envy.
This goes way beyond mismanagement and corruption. Amy Frogge knows very well that all her well-documented objections and protests will be ignored. Some very powerful people went looking for a final deadly virus to inject into the life’s blood of Philly Public Schools. They found it in Shawn Joseph who had already done their dirty work in Nashville.
Operatives like Shawn Joseph are related politically to the fact that Dan Brown made millions off his Da Vinci Code version of Opus Dei. But these cabals are very real and they are zealots. Power-hungry, messianic mad-hatters. Public School Systems are in their cash-cow crosshairs.
Justices Barrett, Roberts, Thomas, Kavanaugh and Alito all belong to/are close to members of Opus Dei. Amy B. was raised in the companion People of Praise Cult.
Both her parents were high-ranking members.
These are over-lapping networks backed by Big Money and Jesus is definitely NOT the reason for their season. Bought & Paid For Fanatic Ideologues are trained to play the long game. It is the same with their partners-in-crime, The Federalist Society.
Pat Cipollone is one of many knee-deep in this fascist filth.
A personal story about growing up in Spain’s Franco Fascist Friendly is here: https://medium.com/science-and-philosophy/growing-up-in-spain-under-franco-and-the-opus-dei-my-spiritual-journey-part-1-1405a8c82d85
Or Watch Netflix The Family: It’s Not About Faith. It’s About POWER by Jeff Sharlet.
Shawn Joseph has to be a member of ALEC, he just has to be.
Broad Academy, perhaps? Does anyone know?
“Dr. Shawn Joseph has put teaching and faith at the forefront of his life in and out of education.”
From his webpage: https://drshawnjoseph.com/about/
Gotta prove that you are a faith believer, eh! Sad, indeed very sad.
Hi, Duane- Dr. Joseph was planning to attend the Broad Academy at the time we hired him in Nashville, but cancelled when he became Nashville superintendent. He is connected with other Broad grads: https://dianeravitch.net/2019/09/20/amy-frogge-how-edupreneurs-took-nashville-for-a-ride/ He also worked in Prince George’s County, MD, where William Hite worked. -Amy Frogge
“’In 2016, a transition team made up of local, state and national experts shared that Nashville needed to focus on student achievement — with a sense of urgency,’ Metro Schools said in a written statement.
Without giving any other company a chance to offer its services, Metro Schools signed the $1 million deal with Performance Matters“
Follow the money. Who were the “experts” and what related parties had ties with Performance Matters?
Hi Diane,my op-ed on this With $450k consulting contract, Philadelphia’s new school superintendent crushes hopes for change | Opinion
| | | | | |
|
| | | | With $450k consulting contract, Philadelphia’s new school superintendent…
Tony Watlington is bringing in a Tennessee-based firm, and the Board of Ed. isn’t taking questions. |
|
|
I doff my hat to Ms. Frogge for her integrity and tenacity; thank you ma’am.
Who is to blame for Nashville’s school struggles? Not Shawn Joseph. | Opinion
When Shawn Joseph came to Nashville with an equity agenda, he was hailed. When he actually implemented that agenda, he was vilified.
Vanderbilt education professor guest columnist
https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2019/05/06/nashville-schools-shawn-joseph/1094845001/
Monica,
You neglected to explain why the Philadelphia school board hired Shawn Joseph for $450,000 to teach its new superintendent how to do his job. Can you explain?
Nashville’s school board should step down — or be recalled — after latest debacle | Opinion
The ouster of MNPS Director Shawn Joseph is an embarrassment and adds to the failures caused by this elected school board. Members must be replaced.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/03/27/mnps-nashville-school-board-should-step-down-ousting-shawn-joseph/3286959002/
Shawn Joseph faces unprecedented humiliation and criticism that come with racial overtones | Opinion
An open letter to the Nashville School Board on MNPS’ history and how getting rid of Shawn Joseph might well hurt equity efforts.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2019/03/26/shawn-joseph-metro-nashville-public-schools/3281907002/
The Real Problem With Dr. Shawn Joseph
https://tntribune.com/the-real-problem-with-dr-shawn-joseph/
School Board Members Frogge and Speering Big on Policy if it Doesn’t Apply to Them
https://tntribune.com/school-board-members-frogge-and-speering-big-on-policy-if-it-doesnt-apply-to-them/
Metro ‘Fortunate to Have Shawn Joseph’
https://tntribune.com/metro-fortunate-to-have-shawn-joseph/
Dr. Shawn Joseph Under Constant Attack in Nashville
https://tntribune.com/dr-shawn-joseph-under-constant-attack-in-nashville/
School Board Member Will Pinkston’s Resignation Letter
https://tntribune.com/school-board-member-will-pinkstons-resignation-letter/
Nashville Mayor David Briley issues sharp criticism of Metro School Board
https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-mayor-david-briley-issues-sharp-criticism-of-metro-school-board
Amy Frogge presented compelling evidence of Shawn Joseph’s I’ll-fated tenure as superintendent. He even lost his educator’s license in Tennessee.