Just in case you don’t already know about The Pearson Foundation, they recently won a $58 million multi-year testing contract for Kentucky’s public schools. Probably just a coincidence that they won the contract after sending the state’s education commissioner on a boondoggle educational trip to Rio de Janeiro. Yes, yes, a total coincidence!
This is from the AP story about The Pearson Foundation and Terry’s Holliday’s Pearson-sponsored trip to Brazil:
He says no ethics problems here! And he’s not available for further comment because he was TRAVELING! What’s wrong with you people? It’s just a free trip from a bunch of nice people who care about education. Jeez. Everybody thinks there’s a conspiracy around every corner.
While Terry Holliday is keeping his lips zipped tighter than a pair of size 22 mom jeans at a Shoney’s breakfast buffet, looks like Mark Nieker, the president and CEO of The Pearson Foundation, had plenty to say on the comments section of WAVE-3’s website. Just click on the screenshot to see for yourself. FYI: Nieker is disappointed!
And he’s mouthing off at The New York Times, too – just click on the screenshot to read the whole sob story. FYI: Lots of hand-wringing, head-shaking, angst and disappointment in this one. GET OUT THE KLEENEX!
The statement below is from the Pearson website. Read the whole thing by clicking here, Statement from Mark Nieker, President/CEO, The Pearson Foundation. FYI: Nieker is stunned!
Like many of the Pearson Foundation’s friends and colleagues who have since written or called to offer words of support, I was stunned by the New York Times’ suggestions that the Pearson Foundation’s sponsorship of the International Education Summits had a commercial purpose.
Wow! How does that Nieker guy get any work done with all of the damage control and spin he’s had to sprinkle all over the internet and the nation’s greatest newspaper? He sure is a busy guy! Maybe he’s doing all of this work from various $399US rooms in exotic locales like Singapore.
Oh, didn’t you hear? Pearson sponsored a junket to Singapore for a bunch of public school officials from bumpkin states loaded to their eyeballs with doctorates from bottom-tier universities and, I’m guessing, the ability to sway influence for education-related purchases. Those folks stayed at the Mandarin Oriental where the cheapest room is $399US on a weeknight. Here are some otherfolks who are fans of the Mandarin who can afford to pay for their own rooms:
Anyone who says there is no ethics violation by taking part in a “free” trip that’s sponsored by a VENDOR is either a moron or a delusional. PICK ONE. I pick “delusional” because I think these education officials truly feel entitled to these kinds of job perquisites. Worst of all, I think it’s astonishing that anyone in their right mind believes that these trips are free. THEY’RE NOT. The price of those trips are essentially built into the price of Pearson’s contracts which means you and I and millions of other taxpayers are footing the bill for a bunch of education goons while our kids in public schools continue to get shortchanged.
SHAME ON YOU, TERRY HOLLIDAY AND PEARSON FOUNDATION.
Nice article! I agree you that if you take anything from a vendor then it makes any deal dirty.