Boa r d of E du ca t ion of Ba lt im or e Cou n t y

6901 Clu ir lcs S t r eet H clwa r d J . Gillis s . F -:S L],. Ch a ir '[on s on . MD 2 [204-3711

Ma y 15,2018

Dr . Ka r en B. Sa lm on
St a t e Su per in t en den t of Sch ools
Ma r yla n d St a t e Depa r t m en t of E du ca t ion
200 West Ba lt im or e St r eet
Ba lt im or e, Ma r yla n d 21201

Dea r Dr . Sa lm on :

I wr it e t h is let t er on beh a lf of t h e Boa r d of E du ca t ion of Ba lt im or e Cou n t y in

r espon se t o you r let t er of Apr il 27, 2018, declin in g "a t t h is t im e" t o a ppr ove Ver let t a
Wh it e a s t h e Su per in t en den t of Sch ools for Ba lt im or e Cou n t y. At t h e Cou n t y Boa r d's
Ma y 8, 2018 m eet in g, t h e m a jor it y of t h e Boa r d vot ed t o r esu bm it t o you , for you r
a ppr ova l, Ms. Ver let t a Wh it e for a fou r yea r t er m a s per m a n en t Su per in t en den t .

As you a r e a wa r e. Sect ion 4-201(c)(l) of t h e E du ca t ion Ar t icle set s for t h t h e t h r ee

(3) st a t u t or y qu a lifica t ion s for a n in dividu a l t o be a ppoin t ed a s Cou n t y Su per in t en den t
a n d, im m edia t ely t h er ea ft er in Sect ion 4-201(c)(2), im bu es t h e St a t e Su per in t en den t wit h
t h e r espon sibilit y of a ppr ovin g, or n ot , t h e a ppoin t m en t . You r Apr il 27, 2018 let t er set s
for t h t wo r ea son s for you r decision t o disa ppr ove Ms. Wh it e's a ppoin t m en t . Alt h ou gh
n eit h er r ea son r ela t es t o t h e qu a lifica t ion s set for t h in Sect ion 4-20 l(c) (1), t h is Boa r d
views you r con cer n s ser iou sly a n d en dea vor s t o r espon d t o t h em .

F ir st , you r let t er st a t es t h a t t h e Cou n t y Boa r d's det er m in a t ion t h a t Ms. Wh it e

viola t ed t h e E t h ics Code ca u ses you t o "pa u se" a s you con sider wh et h er t o a ppr ove t h e
a ppoin t m en t . Secon d, you st a t e t h a t t h e st a t u s of t h e a u dit of t h e Boa r d's pr ocu r em en t
pr ocess is u n clea r a n d you believe it s com plet ion will pr ovide "cr it ica l fa ct s" r ela t ed t o
t h e decision of "wh et h er t o a ppr ove [Ms.] Wh it e a s per m a n en t su per in t en den t ."

Wit h r ega r d t o t h e et h ics issu e, it is u n der st a n da ble t h a t t h e occu r r en ce of a

viola t ion , a n d t h e wa y in wh ich it h a s been depict ed by t h e cer t a in m edia ou t let s a n d
st a k eh older s a s com pa r a ble t o t h e viola t ion by Dr . S. Da lla s Da n ce, m a y ca u se you t o
pa u se. In view of you r let t er a n d t h e con cer n expr essed t h er ein , I a t t a ch a copy of t h e
Repor t of t h e Boa r d's E t h ics Review P a n el, wh ich pr ovides m u ch -n eeded con t ext t o a n
issu e t h a t h a s been r egu la r ly dist or t ed. Wh ile t h is Repor t is a con fiden t ia l per son n el
docu m en t , Ms. Wh it e a gr eed t o m a k e t h is docu m en t pu blic in t h e in t er est of t r a n spa r en cy
a n d t o en su r e t h a t you h a ve t h e ben efit of t h e P a n el's det a iled, in depen den t a n a lysis.

Kch va r d J . Ciillis s . Kt ,q,. Ch a ir Roger \ \ . i la yd cn Da vid U h H ek ler

N ich ola s C . S le w a r l. E s q .. Vice C !ia ir J n lic C , I -fct in S t cp licn L . Vcr cli. K ^ q .
K a t h le e n S . C a u s e y C h a r le s M cD a n ie K J r . l-.m or y 1 .. You n s
J u n e P , K a t on An n M ille r J o^ ie F ^ S h t iffcr
Ver lct t a Wh ile. Sca 'ct a r v-Tr ea su r er
Dr . Sa lm on
Ma y 15, 2018
P a ge 2

As you ca n see fr om t h a t docu m en t , a lt h ou gh t h e P a n el det er m in ed t h a t Ms.

Wh it e fa iled t o r epor t ou t side in com e, t h e P a n el a lso m a de it ver y clea r t h a t t h e
"F in a n cia l Disclosu r e St a t em en t is con fu sin g a n d u n clea r a s t o wh a t is n ecessa r y t o be
disclosed on Sch edu le H r ega r din g ou t side in com e. (P lea se see pa ge 4). Th e P a n el
fu r t h er n ot ed t h a t "fr om t h e a ct u a l la n gu a ge in t h e P olicy a n d fr om t h e F in a n cia l
Disclosu r e St a t em en t , a n in dividu a l filin g t h e St a t em en t cou ld well be con fu sed a s t o
wh et h er t h e r equ ir ed disclosu r es in clu de a n in t er m it t en t in dividu a l con su lt a t ion fee fr om
a bu sin ess n ot own ed by t h e in dividu a l or a fa m ily m em ber , wh ich wou ld be n eit h er
em ploym en t n or 'sa la r y.

As t o t h e "pr est ige of office" pr ovision , t h e P a n el con clu ded t h a t Ms. Wh it e's
pa r t icipa t ion in E RDI con fer en ces for com pen sa t ion , a s a r esu lt of h er posit ion a s t h e
t h en -Ch ief Aca dem ic Officer for t h e Sch ool Syst em , wa s t h e u se of pr est ige of office for
pr iva t e ga in . It is im por t a n t t o n ot e t h a t Ms. Wh it e a t t en ded t h ese con fer en ces wh en sh e
wa s t h e Ch ief Aca dem ic Officer a n d r eceived $500 per focu s gr ou p pa n el, wh ich
occu r r ed t wice a yea r . Th er e wa s n o eviden ce of im pr oper in flu en ce or ot h er u n et h ica l
con du ct r esu lt in g fr om t h ose m eet in gs. (Ba sed on wh a t t h e Boa r d h a s lea r n ed a bou t
E RDI fr om m edia a ccou n t s, it is h igh ly likely t h a t ot h er Su per in t en den t s in Ma r yla n d, a s
well a s fr om a r ou n d t h e cou n t r y, h a ve sim ila r ly a t t en ded E RDI focu s gr ou ps for
com pen sa t ion , wh et h er or n ot t h ose a ct ivit ies wer e t h e su bject of et h ics com pla in t s.)

It is a lso im por t a n t t o n ot e t h a t Ms. Wh it e wa s open a n d h on est wit h t h e P a n el in

r espon din g t o t h e Com pla in t . In st ea d of ch a llen gin g t h e a llega t ion s, Ms. Wh it e pr oposed
a "set t lem en t or cu r e" a s is per m it t ed u n der t h e E t h ics Code. Th e pr oposa l set for t h by
Ms. Wh it e in clu ded a n a gr eem en t t o a m en d h er fin a n cia l disclosu r e for m s a n d a
com m it m en t t h a t sh e "will n o lon ger pa r t icipa t e in E RDI a ct ivit ies or be a ssocia t ed wit h
E RDI in a n y m a n n er ." In a ddit ion , Ms. Wh it e a gr eed t h a t sh e wou ld n ot "en ga ge in
con su lt in g wit h a n y en t it y wh ile I a m In t er im Su per in t en den t . Th e P a n el det er m in ed
t h a t t h e set t lem en t pr oposed by Ms. Wh it e wa s con sist en t wit h t h e E t h ics Code a n d it
r ecom m en ded t h a t t h e Boa r d a ccept t h e pr oposa l, wh ich t h e Boa r d did. As n ot ed by t h e
P a n el, a ll of t h e con dit ion s of t h e pr oposed set t lem en t sh ou ld a ssu r e t h e pu blic t h a t t h e
con du ct of pu blic bu sin ess is n ot su bject t o im pr oper in flu en ce or t h e a ppea r a n ce of
im pr oper in flu en ce a n d t h a t Wh it e s im pa r t ia lit y a n d in depen den t ju dgm en t will be
m a in t a in ed." (P a ge 7).

Upon you r r eview of t h e E t h ic Review P a n el's Repor t , I believe t h a t you will

u n der st a n d wh y t h e Boa r d con clu ded t h a t t h e in vest iga t ion by t h e P a n el, a lon g wit h t h e
a ct ion by t h e Boa r d a n d Ms. Wh it e, ser ved t o r est or e a n y possible br ea ch oft m st t h a t
m a y h a ve occu r r ed.
Dr . Sa lm on
Ma y 15,2018
P a ge 3

Wit h r ega r d t o t h e a u dit issu e, t h e Boa r d h a s a lwa ys t a ken t h e posit ion t h a t a

pu r ch a sin g a u dit will con t r ibu t e t o t h e pr ocess of r est or in g t r u st wit h gover n m en t pa r t n er s
a n d t h e edu ca t ion com m u n it y. Th a t is wh y, in t h e fa ll of la st yea r , t h e Boa r d wa s
pr epa r ed t o en ga ge in a n a u dit of it s r ecen t pr ocu r em en t a ct ivit ies. H owever , a t t h a t t im e,
cer t a in boa r d m em ber s a n d elect ed officia ls st r on gly en cou r a ged t h e Boa r d t o expa n d t h e
scope of t h e a u dit befor e a n y su ch a u dit wa s in it ia t ed. Wh ile t h is expa n sion h elped
en su r e t h a t t h e a u dit wou ld r epr esen t t h e fin a l wor d a s t o t h e sch ool syst em 's pu r ch a sin g
u n der Dr . Da n ce's five-yea r t en u r e, it a lso en su r ed t h a t com m en cem en t of t h e a u dit
wou ld be dela yed a n d t h a t t h e a u dit it self wou ld r equ ir e a sign ifica n t a m ou n t of
a ddit ion a l t im e t o com plet e. To pr ovide you wit h gr ea t er cla r it y a s t o t h e pr ocess a n d
st a t u s of t h e a u dit , I en close docu m en t s r ela t in g t o t h r ee sepa r a t e r equ est s for pr oposa ls
for t h e a u dit (Novem ber 30, 2017, Decem ber 21, 2017 a n d Ma r ch 15, 2018). H owever , it
m u st be n ot ed t h a t n on e of t h ese a u dit s a r e likely t o pr ovide cr it ica l fa ct s wit h r espect t o
Ms. Wh it e, a s sh e wa s Ch ief Aca dem ic Officer du r in g t h e per iod in qu est ion a n d did n ot
exer cise t h e det er m in a t ive pr ocu r em en t a u t h or it y of a su per in t en den t .

In a n y even t , t o t h e ext en t t h er e is con cer n t h a t t h e sch ool syst em s pu r ch a sin g is

n ot m on it or ed or eva lu a t ed, plea se n ot e t h a t t h is is n ot t h e ca se. In com plia n ce wit h st a t e
la w, legisla t ive a u dit or s com plet ed a per for m a n ce a u dit of t h e sch ool syst em in 2015,a n d
pu r ch a sin g wa s pa r t of t h a t a u dit . (P lea se see a t t a ch ed t h e legisla t ive a u dit a n d t h e
docu m en t s r ela t ed t h er et o). Th is legisla t ive a u dit led t o ch a n ges in t h e wa y t h a t t h e
sch ool syst em con du ct s pr ocu r em en t . Th e sch ool syst em a lso pr odu ces yea r -en d
fin a n cia l st a t em en t s, wh ich a r e a u dit ed by a pu blic a ccou n t in g fir m a n d wh ich a lso
in clu de pu r ch a sin g. (P lea se see a t t a ch ed Com pr eh en sive An n u a l F in a n cia l Repor t s
(CAF Rs) for 2013 t h r ou gh 2017, wh ich a r e t h e yea r s t o be cover ed by t h e pu r ch a sin g
a u dit ). F in a lly, a s you k n ow, t h e St a t e Depa r t m en t of E du ca t ion con du ct s it s own
bien n ia l a u dit of St a t e Aid P r ogr a m s, t h e m ost r ecen t of wh ich for fisca l yea r s 2017 a n d
2018 wa s com plet ed t h is yea r , a n d t h e scope of t h is a u dit in clu des pu r ch a sin g.

We t r u st t h a t t h is let t er a n d t h ese m a t er ia ls a r e h elpfu l t o you r r eview of t h e

m a t t er . P lea se a lso k n ow t h a t I a n d Ms. Wh it e welcom e t h e oppor t u n it y t o m eet wit h you
in per son , wh et h er a s a gr ou p or in dividu a lly, t o pr ovide a n y a ddit ion a l in for m a t ion a n d
a n swer a n y a ddit ion a l qu est ion s you m a y h a ve.

U lt im a t ely, t h is Boa r d r em a in s con fiden t t h a t Ms. Wh it e is t h e best ch oice a s

per m a n en t su per in t en den t for ou r sch ool syst em . Th is Boa r d h a s a bsor bed h ou r s a n d
h ou r s of pu blic com m en t , h u n dr eds a n d h u n dr eds of em a ils a n d let t er s, va r iou s pet it ion s
a n d su r veys a n d deba t ed t h e issu es a m on gst ou r selves a t len gt h . E ven m or e im por t a n t ly,
t h is Boa r d h a s been a ble t o in t er a ct wit h Ms. Wh it e a s a su per in t en den t over t h e cou r se of
a n en t ir e yea r .
Dr . Sa lm on
Ma y 15,2018
P a ge 4

Du r in g t h is t im e, n ot on ly h a s sh e set t h e syst em in a st r on g dir ect ion wit h t h e

est a blish m en t of a syst em -wide focu s on lit er a r y, t h e cr ea t ion of a n Office of Sch ool
Clim a t e, t h e developm en t of a da t a da sh boa r d t o im pr ove t r a n spa r en cy a n d
a ccou n t a bilit y, a n d t h e expa n sion of college a n d ca r eer r ea din ess pr ogr a m s a t t h e
elem en t a r y- a n d m iddle-sch ool levels, bu t sh e h a s ea r n ed t h e su ppor t of a m u lt it u de of
st a keh older s, in clu din g 90% of a dm in ist r a t or s polled by t h e Cou n cil of Adm in ist r a t ive &
Su per visor y E m ployees, 830 loca l edu ca t or s wh o eviden ced t h eir su ppor t in t h e for m of a
pet it ion , t h e Ba lt im or e Cou n t y St u den t Cou n cils a n d t h e 2014 Na t ion a l Tea ch er of t h e
Yea r .

F or t h ese a n d ot h er r ea son s, t h is Boa r d r espect fu lly r equ est s, wit h t h e ben efit of
a ddit ion a l in for m a t ion a n d disclosu r es, t h a t you a ppr ove t h e a ppoin t m en t of Ms. Wh it e.
In st ea d of h a vin g Ms. Wh it e ser ve a s a n in t er im for a secon d yea r , wh ich wou ld be 2/3 r ds
of t h e a ver a ge t en u r e of a m odem su per in t en den t , we a sk t h a t you per m it h er t o u se h er
t a len t s t o br in g st a bilit y a n d a lon g-t er m vision a s t h e per m a n en t su per in t en den t of t h e
Ba lt im or e Cou n t y Sch ool Syst em , a ll for t h e ben efit of t h e 1 14,000 ch ildr en we ser ve.

Ver y Tr u ly You r s,

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E dwa r d J . GU liss, E sq., Ch a ir
Boa r d of E du ca t ion of
Ba lt im or e Cou n t y

ejg/dd

E n closu r es

C: Ms. Ver let t a Wh it e, In t er im Su per in t en den t

E liza bet h Ka m een , E sq., P r in cipa l Cou n sel, Office of t h e At t or n ey Gen er a l
Ma r ga r et -An n F . H owie, E sq., Gen er a l Cou n sel
An dr ew W. N u ssba u m , E sq., Boa r d Cou n sel