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Bush's family profits from 'No Child' act

D

DealMonkey

Lifer
If this isn't illegal, it certainly should be. I wonder if the Bush's have also figured out how to profit from those mad faith-based initiative dollars?

Bush's family profits from 'No Child' act
By Walter F. Roche Jr., Times Staff Writer
October 22, 2006

A company headed by President Bush's brother and partly owned by his parents is benefiting from Republican connections and federal dollars targeted for economically disadvantaged students under the No Child Left Behind Act.

With investments from his parents, George H.W. and Barbara Bush, and other backers, Neil Bush's company, Ignite! Learning, has placed its products in 40 U.S. school districts and now plans to market internationally.

At least 13 U.S. school districts have used federal funds available through the president's signature education reform, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, to buy Ignite's portable learning centers at $3,800 apiece.

The law provides federal funds to help school districts better serve disadvantaged students and improve their performance, especially in reading and math.

But Ignite does not offer reading instruction, and its math program will not be available until next year.

The federal Department of Education does not monitor individual school district expenditures under the No Child program, but sets guidelines that the states are expected to enforce, spokesman Chad Colby said.

Ignite executive Tom Deliganis said that "some districts seem to feel OK" about using No Child money for the Ignite purchases, "and others do not."

Neil Bush said in an e-mail to The Times that Ignite's program had demonstrated success in improving the test scores of economically disadvantaged children. He also said political influence had not played a role in Ignite's rapid growth.

"As our business matures in the USA we have plans to expand overseas and to work with many distinguished individuals in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa," he wrote. "Not one of these associates by the way has ever asked for any access to either of my political brothers, not one White House tour, not one autographed photo, and not one Lincoln bedroom overnight stay."

Funding laws unclear

Interviews and a review of school district documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act found that educators and legal experts were sharply divided over whether Ignite's products were worth their cost or qualified under the No Child law.

The federal law requires schools to show they are meeting educational standards, or risk losing critical funding. If students fail to meet annual performance goals in reading and math tests, schools must supplement their educational offerings with tutoring and other special programs.

Leigh Manasevit, a Washington attorney who specializes in federal education funding, said that districts using the No Child funds to buy products like Ignite's would have to meet "very strict" student eligibility requirements and ensure that the Ignite services were supplemental to existing programs.

Known as COW, for Curriculum on Wheels (the portable learning centers resemble cows on wheels), Ignite's product line is geared toward middle school social studies, history and science. The company says it has developed a social studies program that meets curriculum requirements in seven states. Its science program meets requirements in six states.

Most of Ignite's business has been obtained through sole-source contracts without competitive bidding. Neil Bush has been directly involved in marketing the product.

In addition to federal or state funds, foundations and corporations have helped buy Ignite products. The Washington Times Foundation, backed by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, head of the South Korea-based Unification Church, has peppered classrooms throughout Virginia with Ignite's COWs under a $1-million grant.

Oil companies and Middle East interests with long political ties to the Bush family have made similar bequests. Aramco Services Co., an arm of the Saudi-owned oil company, has donated COWs to schools, as have Apache Corp., BP and Shell Oil Co.

Neil Bush said he is a businessman who does not attempt to exert political influence, and he called The Times' inquiries about his venture ? made just before the election ? "entirely political."

Big supporters

Bush's parents joined Neil as Ignite investors in 1999, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents. By 2003, the records show, Neil Bush had raised about $23 million from more than a dozen outside investors, including Mohammed Al Saddah, the head of a Kuwaiti company, and Winston Wong, the head of a Chinese computer firm.

[...]
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Linkage
 
Anybody related to politicians should ever be allowed to make money.

Was this company started before or after the act? If after it means that they're smart, if before that's kind of shady but it doesnt really matter, no child behind act got me a job before.
 
Werent the Bushs involved in a tax scheme where Barbra donated money to a company owned by a son for hurricane relief or something, also resulting in a tax deduction for herself?

Hard to keep track of all these scandals lately.
 
More like "All children but ours left behind".
The Bush family is essentially a crime syndicate. Controlled by evil, mean-spirited-Mister Rogers-type guys. Don't be fooled into thinking Barbara is a nice person either or a champion to the little people.
 
Originally posted by: bctbct
Werent the Bushs involved in a tax scheme where Barbra donated money to a company owned by a son for hurricane relief or something, also resulting in a tax deduction for herself?

Hard to keep track of all these scandals lately.
Click to expand...

Yes. It was the school software company run by neil. I think.
 
Originally posted by: shadow9d9
Originally posted by: ntdz
Congress wrote the Bill and approves the money spent...blame them.
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You mean the Republican controlled Congress?
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except that it passed 468 to 51, with 15 not voting. Furthermore at least in the House almost every Democrat voted for it while you had 33 republicans vote against it.

Anyhow this seems more like a failure of the people who hand out the money in not checking if the districts and products meets requirements for said money.

I'm willing to bet that many districts spend money on other products that do not meet requirements but their's no Bush connection to be made.

This is just another example to me how there has never been any accountability for how tax money is used. Someone else is paying for so why should anyone care to make sure it a legitimate expenditure. Worst case, whine about it and congress will give even more money if you whine loud enough.
 
It looks like nepotism. It erodes the public's trust in politics and government. I don't know if it is illegal, but it definitely seems immoral.
 
Originally posted by: bobdelt
Anybody related to politicians should ever be allowed to make money.

Was this company started before or after the act? If after it means that they're smart, if before that's kind of shady but it doesnt really matter, no child behind act got me a job before.
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Actually, I believe Bush!t's brother started his company around the time Bush started pushing the concept in TX. Not surprisingly, some districts in TX were the first ones to buy this crap.

Most of Ignite's business has been obtained through sole-source contracts without competitive bidding. Neil Bush has been directly involved in marketing the product.
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I wonder if the Chinese investor is the same one that was sending Neil "gifts" . . . to his hotel room?
 
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