According to published reports in the Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown and Chicago Tribune, Charles Flowers, the embattled superintendent of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education, surrendered to authorities today at the Cook County courthouse in Maywood on public corruption charges.
State's Attorney Anita Alvarez has scheduled a press conference for 3:30 p.m. and is expected to announce criminal charges against Flowers for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from the bankrupt agency.
Flowers and the agency are already fighting a civil suit brought in July by the state's attorney's office for failing to repay a $190,000 loan from the county. The suit alleges Flowers defrauded the county because he knew the agency could never be repaid due to its shattered finances.
The charges are the result of a separate criminal probe into allegations that he used agency funds for his own personal gain. Last year, a state audit found that the agency--which handles teacher certification and inspections for suburban schools--was $1 million in debt and accused Flowers of using a work credit card for personal use as well as giving a $6,000 advance to a relative he hired to work for him.
Showing posts with label Regional Superintendent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regional Superintendent. Show all posts
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Regional Superintendent Charles A. Flowers Moves Office...
According to the Daily Southtown, a quiet Charles Flowers sat sandwiched Monday between landlords accused of keeping derelict buildings and tenants with stories of rent checks lost in the mail.
The regional schools chief appeared in eviction court Monday - the deadline to move out of the Westchester space his office leased and pay more than $10,000 in back rent. But before standing in front of the judge, Flowers and the folks of Westchester School District 92 1 / 2 had reached an agreement the judge signed off on.
Flowers, who voluntarily moved out of the school's building Friday, gets 120 days to pay the $10,762 in back rent he owes the district.
School district attorney Jeff Goelitz said Flowers blamed his inability to pay the rent on late payments from the state.
"If they receive the money from the state, they have to pay up within 24 hours of receipt of it," Goelitz said.
Flowers' office is nearly $1 million in debt, according to a state audit. The Cook County state's attorney's office is investigating Flowers for alleged financial and ethical misdeeds and suing him for defaulting on a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan.
The new location for the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education is at 2600 S. 25th Ave. in Broadview. The regional office's corner space in the two-story office building - which backs up to a warehouse and is flanked by a nearby trucking company's semi trucks - was open to the public Monday.
Flowers' office has been paying back rent in installments, according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. In July, he was about $20,000 behind on rent for February through July.
State law requires the county board in every county except Cook to provide a suitable space for the regional office. The state hasn't paid out the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education or any other regional office of education since July 1, Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus said.
The state has set aside more than $70,000 in state grant money for Flowers' office, but the comptroller has yet to cut the checks, Fergus said.
"We're backlogged over $3 billion in bills going back to the first of August because the revenues just aren't there," Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes' spokesman Alan Henry said. "I'm sure (Flowers' office is) in the queue somewhere. I'm not sure when they'll get the money."
Flowers, who did not answer a reporter's questions Monday, is due back in court Feb. 8. If he hasn't paid up in 120 days, it's up to the school district to take the next step.
"The board's option would be to go to court to ask the (regional office of education) to make good on the order, to pay up," Goelitz said. "We haven't had that discussion yet."
The regional schools chief appeared in eviction court Monday - the deadline to move out of the Westchester space his office leased and pay more than $10,000 in back rent. But before standing in front of the judge, Flowers and the folks of Westchester School District 92 1 / 2 had reached an agreement the judge signed off on.
Flowers, who voluntarily moved out of the school's building Friday, gets 120 days to pay the $10,762 in back rent he owes the district.
School district attorney Jeff Goelitz said Flowers blamed his inability to pay the rent on late payments from the state.
"If they receive the money from the state, they have to pay up within 24 hours of receipt of it," Goelitz said.
Flowers' office is nearly $1 million in debt, according to a state audit. The Cook County state's attorney's office is investigating Flowers for alleged financial and ethical misdeeds and suing him for defaulting on a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan.
The new location for the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education is at 2600 S. 25th Ave. in Broadview. The regional office's corner space in the two-story office building - which backs up to a warehouse and is flanked by a nearby trucking company's semi trucks - was open to the public Monday.
Flowers' office has been paying back rent in installments, according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. In July, he was about $20,000 behind on rent for February through July.
State law requires the county board in every county except Cook to provide a suitable space for the regional office. The state hasn't paid out the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education or any other regional office of education since July 1, Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus said.
The state has set aside more than $70,000 in state grant money for Flowers' office, but the comptroller has yet to cut the checks, Fergus said.
"We're backlogged over $3 billion in bills going back to the first of August because the revenues just aren't there," Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes' spokesman Alan Henry said. "I'm sure (Flowers' office is) in the queue somewhere. I'm not sure when they'll get the money."
Flowers, who did not answer a reporter's questions Monday, is due back in court Feb. 8. If he hasn't paid up in 120 days, it's up to the school district to take the next step.
"The board's option would be to go to court to ask the (regional office of education) to make good on the order, to pay up," Goelitz said. "We haven't had that discussion yet."
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Flowers Uses Taxpayer Money for Personal Fine Dining!!!
According to the Daily Southtown, Charles Flowers isn't the only one charging family trips on the taxpayers' dime.
Instead of an excursion to Mississippi - which Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Supt. Charles Flowers purchased for his family on the regional office's credit card - Deputy Supt. Harry Reynolds seems to prefer the cool breeze and sandy beaches of San Diego.
More than $1,700 in charges appear on Reynolds' regional office of education credit card in June 2008 for himself and his wife, Calumet School District 132 Supt. Elizabeth Reynolds, and two other family members, according to credit card statements obtained by the SouthtownStar through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Reynolds did not return calls for comment this week.
Reynolds' district-issued card also includes charges to Chicago's theater district, one bill of nearly $100 at Bogart's Charhouse in Homewood, and car rental charges based in Jacksonville, Fla., documents show.
But that's small potatoes compared to the thousands of dollars Flowers spent on meal or food purchases since he took office in July 2007.
Sometimes, he's used the public credit card to eat out as many as four times in one week. The Clubhouse - an Oak Brook restaurant that boasts a luxurious country-club feel - appears to be a favorite. On Dec. 21, 2007, Flowers spent $863 on the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers dropped $200 on Oct. 21 and was back on Oct. 23 to the tune of $85.97. In April 2008, he returned to charge $326.32. In total, he frequented the eatery - where specialties include sweet chili ginger calamari and pecan crusted tilapia - seven times, statements show.
The array of Oak Brook-area restaurants reflect a sophisticated palate. Flowers charged more than $430 at Wildfire in January of this year, $133 at Maggiano's, $286 at Papadeaux Seafood Kitchen and $89 at Bar Louie to his regional office's credit card.
But it wasn't all upscale cuisine. Flowers also seemed to have a craving for Applebee's, KFC, Panda Express, Potbelly, Portillo's, Panera and Priscilla's Ultimate Soulfood.
In addition to feeding his appetite, Flowers also spent $45 at Yehia and Company Hair Designs, statements show. There were also two separate limousine charges, plenty of purchases at the gas pump, a theater district charge, as well as hotel and rental car payments outlined in Flowers' credit card statements.
Flowers began his tenure with a credit card that had a $5,000 credit limit. That was upped to $10,000, and most recently $20,000.
Flowers did not return calls for comment this week about the credit card charges, nor has he responded to reporters' inquiries about a variety of questionable financial dealings revealed in recent weeks.
A preliminary audit of the office states that Flowers maintains he paid the office back from his personal account but the auditors were unable to confirm that.
Instead of an excursion to Mississippi - which Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Supt. Charles Flowers purchased for his family on the regional office's credit card - Deputy Supt. Harry Reynolds seems to prefer the cool breeze and sandy beaches of San Diego.
More than $1,700 in charges appear on Reynolds' regional office of education credit card in June 2008 for himself and his wife, Calumet School District 132 Supt. Elizabeth Reynolds, and two other family members, according to credit card statements obtained by the SouthtownStar through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Reynolds did not return calls for comment this week.
Reynolds' district-issued card also includes charges to Chicago's theater district, one bill of nearly $100 at Bogart's Charhouse in Homewood, and car rental charges based in Jacksonville, Fla., documents show.
But that's small potatoes compared to the thousands of dollars Flowers spent on meal or food purchases since he took office in July 2007.
Sometimes, he's used the public credit card to eat out as many as four times in one week. The Clubhouse - an Oak Brook restaurant that boasts a luxurious country-club feel - appears to be a favorite. On Dec. 21, 2007, Flowers spent $863 on the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers dropped $200 on Oct. 21 and was back on Oct. 23 to the tune of $85.97. In April 2008, he returned to charge $326.32. In total, he frequented the eatery - where specialties include sweet chili ginger calamari and pecan crusted tilapia - seven times, statements show.
The array of Oak Brook-area restaurants reflect a sophisticated palate. Flowers charged more than $430 at Wildfire in January of this year, $133 at Maggiano's, $286 at Papadeaux Seafood Kitchen and $89 at Bar Louie to his regional office's credit card.
But it wasn't all upscale cuisine. Flowers also seemed to have a craving for Applebee's, KFC, Panda Express, Potbelly, Portillo's, Panera and Priscilla's Ultimate Soulfood.
In addition to feeding his appetite, Flowers also spent $45 at Yehia and Company Hair Designs, statements show. There were also two separate limousine charges, plenty of purchases at the gas pump, a theater district charge, as well as hotel and rental car payments outlined in Flowers' credit card statements.
Flowers began his tenure with a credit card that had a $5,000 credit limit. That was upped to $10,000, and most recently $20,000.
Flowers did not return calls for comment this week about the credit card charges, nor has he responded to reporters' inquiries about a variety of questionable financial dealings revealed in recent weeks.
A preliminary audit of the office states that Flowers maintains he paid the office back from his personal account but the auditors were unable to confirm that.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Daily Southtown Exposes Regional Superintendent Charles Flowers As Financial Failure!!!
The Daily Southtown newspaper wrote a detailed article exposing the corruption and failure of Charles Flowers as Superintendent. Here's the article and reporter contact information below:
When Charles Flowers took over the reins of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education two years ago, critics were skeptical of his baggage.
Flowers, a former special education teacher and administrator, has a history of questionable financial dealings from his days as board president at west suburban Maywood-Melrose Park District 89. But he came into office in 2007 vowing to root out corruption and bring reform to Cook County public schools.
Once he became regional superintendent, Flowers hired relatives and friends and then began giving employees salary advance loans. Then he went to Cook County government for an emergency loan, which the regional office has yet to repay.
In April, the regional office couldn't make payroll and earlier this year the department didn't pay its group health insurance premiums on time, leading the company to temporarily cancel workers' health benefits.
So where's the money?
After several unsuccessful attempts to reach Flowers in the past weeks, he said in a brief conversation this week that he would not comment.
"I am not in front of those documents," Flowers said.
Numerous calls to top administrators in the office also were not returned.
The office was more than $413,000 in debt when Flowers was elected. According to the last available financial audit from June 30, 2007, "If the regional office continues to operate at the current level ... its ability to continue ... may be questioned in future years."
Instead of slashing expenses, the office initially added staff and approved raises for administrators, all of whom at the time held doctorates. Salaries then ranged between $75,244 and $100,325, which in some cases was more than double the pay for the same positions under former Regional Supt. Bob Ingraffia.
Many of the problems at the regional office echo Flowers' troubles as a Maywood-Melrose school board member. In 2002 and 2003 Flowers came under fire for stacking the staff with friends who were paid more than their predecessors and for authorizing frivolous spending on laptops and cell phones for board members in a district with a $3 million deficit. All but six of the 200 laptops were later found in unopened boxes in a storage room by an auditing firm.
Flowers himself had his assets frozen for failing to pay $51,188 in income taxes in the past few years, which Flowers had previously said he was contesting.
Pay advance loans
After Flowers became superintendent in July 2007, he put his two sisters and a nephew on the payroll.
Less than a year on the job, he approved a salary advance of $6,000 to his sister Barbara Flowers, who is also his executive assistant, and $9,000 to friend Arbdella Hayes-Patterson, who oversees the truancy program, according to documents obtained by the SouthtownStar.
Approving what is in essence a loan for employees is unusual, said Marc Kiehna, the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools.
"I think common sense and law tell us we should have contracts and pay our employees accordingly," he said. "It's not a procedure that I would do. Typically people earn the money that we give them."
As for the legality of it, Kiehna said "I would question it."
Neither Barbara Flowers nor Hayes-Patterson returned calls this week for comment about the loans.
Missed paychecks, cut-off insurance
Last month, the regional office couldn't make payroll, forcing employees to go almost two weeks without pay. Staff received paychecks Monday, which was just within the window allowed by an Illinois Department of Labor law that outlines just how late employees can get paid.
In the April 15 memo Flowers sent to his staff informing them payroll would be delayed, he wrote, "I regret having to take this action, but the funds simply are not there at this time."
With the next round of paychecks due today, a number of workers have said they are worried those checks will also be late - if they come at all. This comes in addition to layoffs within the past couple of weeks and switching some employees from fulltime to parttime, which also occurred in the past few weeks. It's unknown how many workers from the staff of about two dozen were laid off or had their hours cut.
Health insurance for those same employees was temporarily interrupted due to nonpayment earlier this year, a spokeswoman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois confirmed. Coverage has since been restored.
Since the SouthtownStar started asking questions, employees have described the work environment as "hostile and tense." They've said administrators are "interrogating" employees, looking through phone records and e-mails to see who leaked information to the media.
Unpaid loans
In 2008 and 2009, Flowers, who currently makes $103,234, submitted budgets identical to his predecessor from one year prior - with the exception of a more than $10,000 increase for rent after the office moved, according to documents acquired through a SouthtownStar Freedom of Information Act request .
The approximately $670,000 operations budget does not include about $2.5 million in state and federal grants Flowers expected for 2009, as well as revenue from certification and fingerprinting, among other programs.
But of that expected revenue, the office will not receive $1.7 million from a state truancy grant. For years, the office won the competitive grant, but after Flowers took over and the amount requested went from about $100,000 in 2007 to $1.7 million, the state didn't approve the grant.
What was approved in June 2008 was a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan from the Cook County Board.
That money was used for operations and has been spent, Flowers said. It is unclear if the office will make the June 30 repayment deadline.
Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman (R-Orland Park) cast the sole "no" vote when the request for the money came in last year.
"All Flowers did was pad it (the staff) with his friends and family and then come to us, to (board president Todd) Stroger, for a loan. How ironic," Gorman said.
After the dissenting vote, Gorman said Flowers' office contacted her to discuss the loan. She said her office called back daily, then weekly, to set up a time, and no one got back to her, which made her even more comfortable with her vote.
"If they can't sit down and meet, that just shows their inaccessibility and ineptness." Gorman said. "If they're this unresponsive to elected officials, I can only imagine what it's like with the community and teachers they have to serve."
Delays for certification
The office is responsible for services to 143 school districts and 400,000 students in suburban Cook County. One of its larger roles is to oversee teacher certifications and licensing.
However, at the top of Southland administrators' list of complaints are long delays in teacher certification and a difficulty getting anyone at the office to answer the phone.
The SouthtownStar attempted to retrieve a list of uncertified personnel in the county through a Freedom of Information Act request, but the regional office said it did not maintain such a list. In addition, the office did not provide a list of personnel for whom the office has received applications but have yet to be certified, saying, "The Illinois State Board of Education certifies educational personnel."
Also in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the ISBE said it also could not provide those lists.
In contrast, the teacher certification specialist at the Will County Regional Office of Education said she could provide a list of certification applications waiting to be processed.
It's gotten so bad, districts are circumventing the office that should act as an arm of the state board of education.
"We go directly to ISBE," Forest Ridge School District 142 Supt. Margaret Longo said of teacher certifications.
In Community High School District 218, Supt. John Byrne said the district has lost potential teachers because the office didn't verify certification in time. Reports and surveys the district passes on to the office on time often arrive late to the ISBE, he added.
"Many of those have to do with financial deadlines," Byrne said.
In his 20 years dealing with the regional office, Byrne said he has never had so many problems.
"I'm trying not to assess blame, but something is missing here. It always worked before."
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
When Charles Flowers took over the reins of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education two years ago, critics were skeptical of his baggage.
Flowers, a former special education teacher and administrator, has a history of questionable financial dealings from his days as board president at west suburban Maywood-Melrose Park District 89. But he came into office in 2007 vowing to root out corruption and bring reform to Cook County public schools.
Once he became regional superintendent, Flowers hired relatives and friends and then began giving employees salary advance loans. Then he went to Cook County government for an emergency loan, which the regional office has yet to repay.
In April, the regional office couldn't make payroll and earlier this year the department didn't pay its group health insurance premiums on time, leading the company to temporarily cancel workers' health benefits.
So where's the money?
After several unsuccessful attempts to reach Flowers in the past weeks, he said in a brief conversation this week that he would not comment.
"I am not in front of those documents," Flowers said.
Numerous calls to top administrators in the office also were not returned.
The office was more than $413,000 in debt when Flowers was elected. According to the last available financial audit from June 30, 2007, "If the regional office continues to operate at the current level ... its ability to continue ... may be questioned in future years."
Instead of slashing expenses, the office initially added staff and approved raises for administrators, all of whom at the time held doctorates. Salaries then ranged between $75,244 and $100,325, which in some cases was more than double the pay for the same positions under former Regional Supt. Bob Ingraffia.
Many of the problems at the regional office echo Flowers' troubles as a Maywood-Melrose school board member. In 2002 and 2003 Flowers came under fire for stacking the staff with friends who were paid more than their predecessors and for authorizing frivolous spending on laptops and cell phones for board members in a district with a $3 million deficit. All but six of the 200 laptops were later found in unopened boxes in a storage room by an auditing firm.
Flowers himself had his assets frozen for failing to pay $51,188 in income taxes in the past few years, which Flowers had previously said he was contesting.
Pay advance loans
After Flowers became superintendent in July 2007, he put his two sisters and a nephew on the payroll.
Less than a year on the job, he approved a salary advance of $6,000 to his sister Barbara Flowers, who is also his executive assistant, and $9,000 to friend Arbdella Hayes-Patterson, who oversees the truancy program, according to documents obtained by the SouthtownStar.
Approving what is in essence a loan for employees is unusual, said Marc Kiehna, the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools.
"I think common sense and law tell us we should have contracts and pay our employees accordingly," he said. "It's not a procedure that I would do. Typically people earn the money that we give them."
As for the legality of it, Kiehna said "I would question it."
Neither Barbara Flowers nor Hayes-Patterson returned calls this week for comment about the loans.
Missed paychecks, cut-off insurance
Last month, the regional office couldn't make payroll, forcing employees to go almost two weeks without pay. Staff received paychecks Monday, which was just within the window allowed by an Illinois Department of Labor law that outlines just how late employees can get paid.
In the April 15 memo Flowers sent to his staff informing them payroll would be delayed, he wrote, "I regret having to take this action, but the funds simply are not there at this time."
With the next round of paychecks due today, a number of workers have said they are worried those checks will also be late - if they come at all. This comes in addition to layoffs within the past couple of weeks and switching some employees from fulltime to parttime, which also occurred in the past few weeks. It's unknown how many workers from the staff of about two dozen were laid off or had their hours cut.
Health insurance for those same employees was temporarily interrupted due to nonpayment earlier this year, a spokeswoman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois confirmed. Coverage has since been restored.
Since the SouthtownStar started asking questions, employees have described the work environment as "hostile and tense." They've said administrators are "interrogating" employees, looking through phone records and e-mails to see who leaked information to the media.
Unpaid loans
In 2008 and 2009, Flowers, who currently makes $103,234, submitted budgets identical to his predecessor from one year prior - with the exception of a more than $10,000 increase for rent after the office moved, according to documents acquired through a SouthtownStar Freedom of Information Act request .
The approximately $670,000 operations budget does not include about $2.5 million in state and federal grants Flowers expected for 2009, as well as revenue from certification and fingerprinting, among other programs.
But of that expected revenue, the office will not receive $1.7 million from a state truancy grant. For years, the office won the competitive grant, but after Flowers took over and the amount requested went from about $100,000 in 2007 to $1.7 million, the state didn't approve the grant.
What was approved in June 2008 was a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan from the Cook County Board.
That money was used for operations and has been spent, Flowers said. It is unclear if the office will make the June 30 repayment deadline.
Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman (R-Orland Park) cast the sole "no" vote when the request for the money came in last year.
"All Flowers did was pad it (the staff) with his friends and family and then come to us, to (board president Todd) Stroger, for a loan. How ironic," Gorman said.
After the dissenting vote, Gorman said Flowers' office contacted her to discuss the loan. She said her office called back daily, then weekly, to set up a time, and no one got back to her, which made her even more comfortable with her vote.
"If they can't sit down and meet, that just shows their inaccessibility and ineptness." Gorman said. "If they're this unresponsive to elected officials, I can only imagine what it's like with the community and teachers they have to serve."
Delays for certification
The office is responsible for services to 143 school districts and 400,000 students in suburban Cook County. One of its larger roles is to oversee teacher certifications and licensing.
However, at the top of Southland administrators' list of complaints are long delays in teacher certification and a difficulty getting anyone at the office to answer the phone.
The SouthtownStar attempted to retrieve a list of uncertified personnel in the county through a Freedom of Information Act request, but the regional office said it did not maintain such a list. In addition, the office did not provide a list of personnel for whom the office has received applications but have yet to be certified, saying, "The Illinois State Board of Education certifies educational personnel."
Also in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the ISBE said it also could not provide those lists.
In contrast, the teacher certification specialist at the Will County Regional Office of Education said she could provide a list of certification applications waiting to be processed.
It's gotten so bad, districts are circumventing the office that should act as an arm of the state board of education.
"We go directly to ISBE," Forest Ridge School District 142 Supt. Margaret Longo said of teacher certifications.
In Community High School District 218, Supt. John Byrne said the district has lost potential teachers because the office didn't verify certification in time. Reports and surveys the district passes on to the office on time often arrive late to the ISBE, he added.
"Many of those have to do with financial deadlines," Byrne said.
In his 20 years dealing with the regional office, Byrne said he has never had so many problems.
"I'm trying not to assess blame, but something is missing here. It always worked before."
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Financial Crisis At Regional Superintendent's Office!!!
David Pollard of the Pioneer Press Newspapers, aka the Proviso Herald, is reporting that employees at the Regional Superintendent's Office, headed by Charles A. Flowers, will not be paid today. Pollard writes that:
Friday will be payday for some, but employees working for Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education in Westchester may leave for the weekend empty-handed. Office employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, say they were notified via email April 15 that they would not be paid on April 17.
Although there is the likelihood the office will not have payroll checks for the office's 18 employees, they still continue to come to work and say they are fearful about speaking out publicly about their predicament.
What do you think should be done? Who's to blame? What's your opinion?
Has Flowers destroyed the Regional Superintendent's office?
Friday will be payday for some, but employees working for Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education in Westchester may leave for the weekend empty-handed. Office employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, say they were notified via email April 15 that they would not be paid on April 17.
Although there is the likelihood the office will not have payroll checks for the office's 18 employees, they still continue to come to work and say they are fearful about speaking out publicly about their predicament.
What do you think should be done? Who's to blame? What's your opinion?
Has Flowers destroyed the Regional Superintendent's office?
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Is Cook County Regional Superintendent of Schools Abusing Authority???
The Insider has learned that Cook County Regional Superintendent of Schools, Charles Flowers, is possibly abusing his authority in school districts across Cook County. Schools in Proviso Township are being specifically targeted. The Regional Superintendent, who is primarily responsible for ensuring teachers and administrators have certificates up to date and schools comply with life safety laws, has been harassing school districts for credit card statements, legal invoices, employment contracts, etc. Flowers has also developed a pattern of sending former, disgruntled employees who now work for his office back to their former jobs to conduct inspections in their old districts. Districts across Cook County have responded by lodging complaints at the State Board of Education.
Has Charles Flowers lost his mind again? Is he abusing his authority as Regional Superintendent of Schools? Should he be tossed out?
Has Charles Flowers lost his mind again? Is he abusing his authority as Regional Superintendent of Schools? Should he be tossed out?
Monday, January 14, 2008
Charles Flowers Has Personal Assets Frozen!!!
The Daily Southtown recently reported that former Proviso SD209 board member and current Regional Superintendent of Schools Charles A. Flowers has had his personal assets frozen for failure to pay taxes. Flowers has always run campaigns holding himself out as a reformer. Yet, he doesn't pay his taxes. How is his office funded? Taxes. How are schools funded? Taxes. Should a person who does not pay his taxes be allowed to hold public office?
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