Channel 5's Amanda Davis interviews Dr. Lewis

As reported by Amanda Davis

Former DeKalb County school superintendent Dr. Crawford Lewis says that he's ready for his day in court to clear his name. Lewis is set to be arraigned next week after being indicted in May on corruption charges.

Dr. Lewis and his wife of 30 years, Sandra, talked about what lies ahead as the former superintendent fights corruption charges.

There is a 127 page indictment against Lewis, his former chief operating officer Pat Pope, her then husband, and architect, Tony Pope, and Pope's former secretary Cointa Moody.

Lewis faces six counts for racketeering, theft by a government employee, bribery and falsifying public documents.

The indictment alleges that Pope steered lucrative school construction contracts her husband's way, that her secretary helped her with paperwork and that Lewis signed off on it all.

Lewis says there will always be doubters, a cloud over his head and that his has been legacy tarnished. Lewis said it was his dream as a young man growing up in Monticello, to teach and then head up the school system and he never thought it would end this way.

Lewis says the support of his family, close friends and his church are keeping him strong.

Lewis' attorneys expect the trial to last four to six weeks. No decision has been made on whether Lewis will testify in his own defense.

Link to Amanda's report as well as several related reports by clicking here for Fox 5 News.

Oddly, after asking for and receiving an ok for a "speedy trial" last week and getting the trial date set for August 30, Lewis' attorney has now asked for a delay.

Trial delayed for ex-DeKalb schools' chief

Crawford Lewis is out of DeKalb. Who is the next superintendent?

According to the AJC, at the Get Schooled blog, Crawford Lewis has been officially fired.

The AJC states, The DeKalb school board and Superintendent Crawford Lewis parted ways today after a stormy last few months marked by accusations of sweetheart car deals, questionable mileage receipts and, the most serious charge, a failure to lead the system through the worst budget crisis in its history with a clear course and decisive action.

The AJC has a new, more in-depth article on the subject available at this link.

And a new update here.

WSB also has a report.

Some highlights from the AJC:

Lewis agreed to walk away with four months of severance pay of about $85,000, as outlined in his contract. The agreement also allows Lewis, a DeKalb schools employee for 33 years, to retire, Bowen said. . . .

Under the agreement, which was obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lewis has one week to return his Ford Five Hundred and gas credit card. . . .

Lewis’ total payout also includes an additional $5,000 that the board must place in the superintendent’s retirement account, along with providing him health benefits and protection against civil lawsuits.

However the district will no longer cover legal expenses for the ongoing criminal investigation. His contract capped those expenses at $100,000, which he has already spent, Bowen said. . . .

Lewis, who has remained quiet since the district attorney’s search, declined to talk about the investigation, other than saying he is cooperating and waiting for the outcome. . . .

WSB reported a few timeline dates: November, 2008 the school system conducted an internal probe into construction (mis)spending. February, 2009, the school system turned over information to the District Attorney. The DA conducted an armed raid on Lewis' home in February, 2010 (having previously raided Pope's office, her home, her husband's office and the offices of Moody Construction.)

Our Superintendent: A Weasel?

(Some may find the term "Weasel" to be harsh and offensive, and I apologize for the severity. But please read the entire post first, especially if you pay DeKalb property taxes, 70% of which go to the school system)

Another day, another front page headline in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the DeKalb County School System, which will be read by hundreds of thousands of people and potential teachers throughout the state.

This one is shocking. It starts out about Pat Pope funneling business to her husband Tony Pope, and in doing so, costing the school system and taxpayers almost $1 million from the state. But it quickly raises questions about the competency of our superintendent, his competency to renew contracts, his lack of approval regarding large contracts, his allowing the school system to lose a million dollars in state funding, and his withholding of information on possible crimes from law enforcement authorities.

No-bid deal costs DeKalb schools

Embattled DeKalb County school official Patricia “Pat” Pope cost the school system nearly $1 million in state matching funds when she awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to a construction company without competitive bids, a move that resulted in more work for her architect husband.

State officials say they withheld the money because Pope broke state law when she awarded the contract to Merit Construction Co. in 2007 and because she failed to get state approval for the school renovation project.

It's just not about Pat Pope; the article becomes infinitely more interesting. On November 26th, 2008, Crawford Lewis was being interviewed on an entirely separate matter by the DeKalb District Attorney's office regarding his questionable purchase of his DCSS vehicle for one third the blue book value:

"But midway through the interview, he veered off topic to discuss Pat Pope and what he had recently learned about her. Lewis said the school district’s internal affairs office had been investigating Pope for several weeks, after one of Pope’s employees “made lots of allegations about Ms. Pope and other things that she had seen in the office that are not right, about contracts.” Lewis also said that internal affairs had been investigating allegations that Pope had tampered with the competitive bidding process on construction projects. Then he quickly focused on the Columbia High situation."

Crawford Lewis and Internal Affairs Chief/State Senator Ron Ramsey were aware of improprieties with Pope and the loss of a million in state funds, but did not bring it forth to authorities UNTIL Lewis was being grilled on his questionable vehicle purchase. A school system employee reported allegations about Pope on Nov. 6th, 2008. But Lewis and Ron Ramsey sat on it until Lewis was on the hot seat, er, being investigated himself.

It gets much worse.

But, three months later in February, while the investigation into Pope was under way, Superintendent Lewis chose to continue Pope’s employment and gave her a new contract making nearly $200,000 a year.

Yes, despite the fact that Crawford Lewis brought to the District Attorney's office multiple allegations, Crawford Lewis RENEWED HER NEW CONTRACT...at $200,000 per year!!

Note: In Georgia, an employer can chose not to renew the contract of a contracted employee without any penalty. Pope would have had no legal recourse, but Lewis decided to keep paying her $200,000 per year (?). Why would he keep an employee on staff when he went to the DA with alegations regarding that employee (hmm...would Pope do or say something damaging in retaliation to her contract not being renewed i.e. the Heery Mitchel lawsuit). Pat Pope is being investigated for "possible racketeering, mail fraud, wire fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, theft by taking, theft by deception, flase writing, false swearing, subordination of false swearing, and big rigging." Yet Crawford hired her back. He and he alone renewed her contract.

It gets worse. Tony Pope received $1.43 million for work at Columbia High, a huge amount for an architect for a renovation. Crawford Lewis was aware of this, but made the decision not to tell authorities, until he was questioned on a separate matter.

It gets worse. Pat Pope is still on payroll making $200,000 per year. But she was removed from her duties as chief operating officer and assigned to special projects. She was replaced by five consultants making $1,000 per day. Yes, five people making one million per year total, to replace a person making $200,000 per year.

It gets worse. Pat Pope was allowed to make all decisions regarding school construction and contracts without gaining approval, without any checks and balances. I though Crawford Lewis was head of the school system? I thought the Board of Education had to approve contracts?

Apparently not. Lewis did nothing to make sure Pat Pope followed a chain of command, or made sure contracts went through a proper approval process. Only after Lewis was being investigated himself did he bring information to the authorities. How many other contracts and large purchases have been made in such a manner? Is the Board of Education completely out to lunch? Does Crawford Lewis think so little of taxpayers that his staff can approve million-dollar contracts with approval? Does he think so little of taxpayers that DCSS doesn't need a million dollars from the state for a school renovation project?

We taxpayers should question Georgia Dept. of Education oficials Lyn Jackson and Gregory Snapp, for being aware of the Columbia High situation, and not taking any further steps. Absolutely no one involved with this mess thought of taxpayers/students/parents, including Jackson and Snapp.

I do not see how the Board of Education can continue to pay Pat Pope, and continue to employ Crawford Lewis as our superintendent. This article exposes his lack of competency and poor decision-making abilities. The article exposes just one situation. How many other similar situations have occurred or are occuring now? How many other contracts were awarded without his approval, how many dollars in state funds were lost on other projects, how many other examples of nepotism such as Pat/Vincent Pope occurred or are occurring? What does it say about a state senator/head of Internal Affairs, Ron Ramsey, that he withheld allegations of possible criminal behavior to legal authorities?

Clearly, our Board of Education must make a change and find a new superintendent, chief operating office and head of internal affairs. Is our Board of Education in place to "protect" the superintendent and upper management, or are they in place to oversee a high achieving school system that wisely and frugally spends taxpayer money?

No-bid deal costs DeKalb schools

Sigh. Here we go. Apparently while Dr. Lewis was being "interviewed" by the DA about his car purchase and questionable P-card purchases, the heat must have gotten to him as he decided to 'mention' to the DA that the school system was conducting its own internal audit of Pat Pope.

Read today's front page of the AJC (oh great) about our completely unruly, embarrassing school system leadership. This isn't going to end anytime soon, I'm afraid.

Some excerpts:

Embattled DeKalb County school official Patricia “Pat” Pope cost the school system nearly $1 million in state matching funds when she awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to a construction company without competitive bids, a move that resulted in more work for her architect husband. ...

The six school construction projects being scrutinized are valued at more than $110 million, and county authorities are investigating whether Pope broke the law by allegedly steering contracts to her husband’s architecture firm, her friend Moody’s company and another construction company, Turner Construction.

DeKalb schools Superintendent Crawford Lewis alerted authorities to Pope’s actions on the Columbia High project during a taped interview with a District Attorney’s Office investigator on Nov. 26, 2008.

In the interview, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lewis suggests that Pope could have been trying to direct business to her husband.

Lewis, who has declined to talk to the AJC about the criminal case, told the investigator that Pope should have allowed construction companies a chance to compete for the multimillion-dollar contract.

But by giving it to a company that had been working on two previous phases of the project with Pope’s husband, “it means that he [Tony Pope] keeps getting paid.” ...

But midway through the interview, he veered off topic to discuss Pat Pope and what he had recently learned about her.

Lewis said the school district’s internal affairs office had been investigating Pope for several weeks, after one of Pope’s employees “made lots of allegations about Ms. Pope and other things that she had seen in the office that are not right, about contracts.”

Lewis also said that internal affairs had been investigating allegations that Pope had tampered with the competitive bidding process on construction projects.

Then he quickly focused on the Columbia High situation.

“The bottom line is we know that Ms. Pope should have re-bid the third phase of the Columbia High School project,” Lewis told the investigator. “She was told to do that by our construction attorney and by Lynn Jackson, who is the director of capital outlay for the state. I’ve talked to these people. They all tell me they told Pat to do it. Lynn said that Pat is very stubborn. She does things her way.”

In the interview, Lewis said he confronted Pope about the Columbia project.

“So I called Pat the next day and said, ‘Pat, were you told to re-bid that project by Greg Morgan [the school district’s former construction attorney] or by Lynn Jackson?’ And she said no. Now I’d already talked to them, so I know that they told her to do it.”

Less than two weeks after Lewis’ interview, school system police officers and information system employees examined records from Pope’s office, and school officials began interviewing Pope’s employees.

But, three months later in February, while the investigation into Pope was under way, Superintendent Lewis chose to continue Pope’s employment and gave her a new contract making nearly $200,000 a year.

Did you catch the date of this original "interview"? -- Nov. 26, 2008. That was 14 months ago. I have no hope anymore that this will be resolved. It's all just smoke and mirrors. There are no laws against what Pope did. These people will walk. Thus - the Cheshire Cat smiles.

I am crushed - crushed to think that really, no one is actually looking out for the education of our children. How can they? They are far too distracted investigating their own, selfish, materialistic actions.

Again, sigh.

++++

BTW - so that we don't carry on two conversations on this topic, please leave your comments on O&T's post - "Our Superintendent: A Weasel?"

Is It Time to Retire?

Is five years enough?

Is it time for Dr. Lewis to "move on" with his life?

A cursory look at the past five years shows ITBS scores across the board not discernibly different. No significant gain, nor loss. CRCT scores in Reading and Language Arts have increased impressively, with major decreases in Science, Math and Social Studies (most certainly attributable to major curriculum changes.)

Nearly 1,600 more students are taking AP tests, however the percentage of those students scoring a 3 or more has decreased nearly 6% and have plummeted in some high schools. Most puzzling is the extremely poor performance at high schools that have screamed for more and more AP classes -- for instance, Avondale 2.1% 3+ with 144 test takers, McNair Sr. 1.3% 3+ with 156 test takers. As a comparison, Lakeside had 45.1% 3+ with 811 test takers. Is the quality of the AP teaching staff equitable? Why aren't these students getting more out of the AP opportunity? Why add more AP classes until scores improve?

Dr. Lewis did have the courage to consolidate some schools and move some attendance lines. But, he also promised at the time that he wouldn't touch the lines again for at least eight years (answer to a question posed to him at a town meeting during first round of changes). And, here he comes again. With all the money spent of demographics, why couldn't all the consolidations have happened at the same time?

He oversaw the building of a state-of-the-art high school at Arabia Mountain. The verdict is still out, but so far the parents have not flocked to it as predicted by DCSS. Yet, he has also been on board for the Tucker project and others. Despite a very bizarre harrassing of his top construction manager, he seems to let her do her job and, thankfully, has not felt the urge to fire her.

Ethically, he has been questioned on expenses and car payments. The public still have no conclusions and he has not made any public explanation on why he should even be in this predicament.

Personally, he is a very warm and caring person. He is not a racist, and he truly does not like the north/south politics that the Board Members perpetrate. In many cases, he wants to do the right thing (end magnet busing), but does not seem to have the political muscle to get the Board to go along. He wants the best for DCSS, but does not seem capable of delivering it.

He and his staff have made some remarkably bad PR mistakes, most recently the publishing of the love fest memo. In this regard, his administration has truly "jumped the shark."

Dr. Lewis has more than 30 years with DCSS, his children are out of college, he has attained the highest office he can in DCSS. The assumption is that he should not struggle financially on the retirement payments he will receive.

A huge, warm, friendly retirement party is his for the taking. Is now the time for him to take it?