Mr. Linda Kipley Gets Job Unfairly

From: lee de cesare [mailto:tdecesar@tampabay.rr.com]
Sent: Friday, May 23, 2008 1:51 AM
To: 'candy.olson@sdhc.k12.fl.us'; 'april.griffin@sdhc.k12.fl.us'; 'jack.lamb@sdhc.k12.fl.us'; 'jennifer.falliero@sdhc.k12.fl.us'; 'carol.kurdell@sdhc.k12.fl.us'; 'doretha.edgecomb@sdhc.k12.fl.us'; 'susan.valdes@sdhc.k12.fl.us'
Cc: 'marilynbrown@tampatrib.com'; 'Letitia'
Subject:

The crony hiring practices of the school board have handed a job to the husband of Linda Kipley, head of Professional Standards. Ms. Kipley’s husband has no college degree and minimal accounting experience, cited as “sales rep/accounting.”

I was able to examine four of the remaining candidates’ application for the job. I called Ms. Salem, with an accounting degree and an economics minor and years of experience as an accountant for a major corporation. She is handicapped and uses a walker.

I told Ms. Salem that if Ms. Kipley’s minimally qualified husband gets the job instead of her, she is entitled to file with the EEOC for discrimination based on national origin (Ms. Salem is Egyptian and has a slight accent), sex. She is also entitled to file charges under the American disabilities act. Perhaps she can file for age discrimination as well.

I shall inform all the applicants who look to have better credentials than Ms. Kipley’s husband that they can file discrimination charges with the EEOC.

The board is incapable or unwilling to rein in the administration’s unfair practices. It took a jury to rule that the board ignored Mr. Erwin’s warnings about theft, bid rigging, and shoddy construction of schools that the board and administration wanted to ignore and punish Mr. Erwin for pointing out. It will probably take the federal government to break this board of its tolerance for crony hiring.

Both the board and the administration are incapable of handling such areas as fairness pivotal to the vitality of the schools. The schools should not be a jobs program for a bunch of obtuse cronies and unqualified relatives of the administration. The next time a board member appears on your horizon, ask the fibber why he or she allows such vile practices in the schools that are supposed to support excellence, not cheating to get in the back door. Don't let him or her weasel out of answering the question.

See job description, Ms. Kipley’s husband’s application, and Ms. Salem’s application below.

Lee Drury De Cesare

Another Tale of Crony Hiring at the School Board

Linda Kipley's husband has got a job from the school board that he is not qualified for; he certainly is not the best qualified. I have reviewed four of the 19 applications.

Kipley has no accounting degree. He puts in the degree slot 2010. What does that matter to a job he is applying for now? He may never get a college degree. He has little if any accounting experience (sales rep/accounting) doesn't sound like any deep accounting decorates his resume.

Two of the four applicants I checked had accounting degrees. One, Ms.Tagreed Salem, has an accounting degree with a minor in economics and years of accounting experience for a major firm.

I have told Ms. Salem that if the board has turned her down for this job and picked the much-less-qualified husband of an administrator, she has a claim to file EEOC charges for sex and national-origin discrimination, and since she is disabled (uses a walker), she can and should file under the American Disabilities Act of 1990.

This crony hiring does not get the best candidate for the taxpayers' money. If Ms. Salem does not get a job she is vastly more qualified for than an administrator's husband, I will encourage her to file the charges above with the EEOC for her own sake and for the taxpayers'.

The board is too cowardly to challenge the administration's chronic crony hiring of incompetent relatives and chums. The administration's arrogance in this area needs a check by the federal government to stop this vile joke on the taxpayers.

I shall also ask Senator Martinez to help me get a federal compliance review of the board's hiring policies. One of the women rejected for Ms. Kipley's husband is Hispanic and has the college degree that he lacks.

I have to wait and see what the fifteen internal employees' files show. I intend to tell any one of them who looks discriminated against that he or she is entitled to file an EEOC charge. lee

Below, you will find:

1. My request for further information. 2. Job description 3. Ms. Kipley's husband's application No degree; no valid accounting experience 4. One of the four applications I was able to get: a woman with a bachelor's degree in accounting with a minor in economics and long experience in accounting.

Ms. Cobbe, I need the applications of the fifteen internal candidates for the accountant job to evaluate the hiring process.

In addition, the job application emphasizes the need to write in a clear, concise manner" and that the candidate must have "strong...organizing work paper procedures of documentation and writing procedural manuals and final reports."

I got no writing samples with the four candidates whose applications I reviewed. I would like to see those writing samples for all the 19 applicants."

In addition, I would like to see the results of the tests that the 19 applicants must have undergone to demonstrate knowledge of the abstruse computer programs listed in "D. Computer Skills."

I look foreward to receiving these materials in a timely manner.

lee drury de cesare

JOB DESCRIPTION

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY District Auditing Office ACCOUNTANT II PERTINENT INFORMATION Thank you for your interest in joining the Auditing Team! The following provides some key information regarding the advertised position. Section F below has application information — please respond if you are interested in this position. A. DISTRICT LEVEL AUDITOR This position will be responsible for managing District-level audits, which may involve such diverse District level areas as worker’s compensation, health insurance, transportation, textbook inventory, maintenance operations, student nutrition services, purchasing, federal grant applications, etc. Emphasis will be placed on determining compliance with internal controls and prudent business practices, as demonstrated by the following types of audits we perform: + Financial audits for compliance with generally accepted accounting principles (GARP) + Operational audits for compliance with Board policy + Performance audits for economy and efficiency + Defalcation audits for investigation of fraud or theft.

NOTE: This position is NOT related to our school-level auditors, who perform annual audits of school internal accounts or FTE student data, although those areas may be selected for a district level review. B. Audit Skills The primary function will be to develop, manage and execute audit programs suited to a particular audit. The auditor will be responsible for managing the entire audit process from entrance to the audit site to verbally exiting with the audit findings, including organizing the written workpaper documentation and writing the final report in a clear, concise manner. The position will work primarily independently, with possible assistance from one other audit team member and oversight by the District Audit Team Leader and Assistant Department Manager.

Often, the auditor will be working in unfamiliar areas, and so must adapt quickly to utilizing the data available from unique and diverse systems. While there are basic guidelines that must be followed, this will not be a repetitive position, but rather will be constantly challenging and building on prior experience. Single audit areas may encompass budgets ranging from $50-500 million, and cover a review of human resources, purchasing, payroll, inventory management, outsourcing options and compliance with best financial practices. C. Documentation I organization This position will converse with audiences of differing financial/accounting backgrounds. Both verbal and writing skills are needed with a strong emphasis on organizing workpaper procedure documentation and writing procedural memorandums and and final reports. District level audits are often months in duration, so organization skills, patience, and the ability to parse the workload into logical and manageable tasks is essential. Computer skills Heavy emphasis on computer skills is required to manage, consolidate and analyze massive amounts of data.

Typical tools used include various accounting software packages, Lawson software, Excel spreadsheets, Excel pivot tables, Access databases, mainframe data retrieval (Ezytrieve) programs, Word, and PowerPoint presentations. Travel The School District has sites located throughout the four corners of Hillsborough County, including Citrus Park, Plant City and Ruskin.

While this position maintains a desk in the downtown SAC administrative building, the auditor may be on location anywhere in the county for months at a time. As such, traveling via your own vehicle is an integral part of this position. (Note: Auditors are responsible for their own vehicles and are reimbursed for mileage at $37 per mile.) Self-motivation is also important. F. Application Process - what you need to do next if you are interested: 1. Certify — The Testing and Certification Office (Velasco / Graduation from an accredited’four-year college,) university with major course work in Accounting OR SUBSTITUTION - Acceptable accounting experience above high school level }— may substitute for the required formal college course work on a basis of 1 year of experience for each year of required college course work. However, no substitution will be granted for either high school graduation (or an acceptable GED Certificate).

Note that the Testing Dept. has sole discretion on what constitutes “accounting experience’ and other minimum requirements. 2. Send resume and research project - forward your resume via email (sharon.rileysdhc.k12.fl.us) or fax (740-4837). Also forward your response to the following research assignment: “Present information on the starting teacher salaries for the following counties: Manatee, Pineilas, Polk and Sarasota.” Please include your name and use your best judgment with that limited information. Your resume and research results are due by noon March 19, 2008. 3. Status — you will be notified of your candidate status on March 21,2008. 0. Other relevant information The following is provided for your information and is intended to be a general summary of School Board Policy, and as such, does not supersede or substitute for School Board policy.

Salary/Work Day/Work Year The beginning salary for an Accountant II is $17.97 an hour. Normal work days are eight hours per day, 253 days a year, for an annual beginning salary of $36,371. There are 13 paid holidays and 4 non-paid holidays. Included within the holidays are a Winter Break (December) and a Spring Break (March/April) timed to match the student breaks. 2. Fringe Benefits — for permanent employees only Sick Leave is accrued at 12 days per year. Vacation is accrued at ten days per year (for the first five years of employment). After 90 days of initial District employment, health insurance is provided for the employee (this is subject to change). Dependent coverage is available at employee expense.

After 90 days of initial District employment, life insurance is provided at benefit amount equal to the nearest lowest thousand dollars of salary. 3. Pay Raises Pay raises are set and approved by the School Board. Raises are subject to budget constraints and School Board discretion.

In any year, there may be no pay raise, or some combination of an experience step and/or a cost-of-living raise. 4. Parking Parking is a problem in the downtown area. You will be responsible for your own parking until your tenure and salary combination entitles you to a space on School Board-owned property. 5. The District Auditing Office The Department consists of one Director, 3 District level auditors, 4 student count (FTE) auditors, and 7 school internal account auditors. Each auditor primarily works independently. 6.

The Hilisborough County School District The District has over 22,000 employees (full and part-time), and as such is the single largest employer in Hillsborough County. It is the 8th largest School District in the nation, and the 3rd largest in Florida. It has over 185,000 students, 200 schools, and over $1 billion in revenues. Visit our District web site for more information — www.sdllic.k12.tLus! Thanks again for your interest!

current date and time: 5/20/2008 10:39:13 am Name: Kipley, Thomas James (spouse of Professional Standards Adminstrator Lindy Kipley) Accountant 1 Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: Multi Trades Worker 10 Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: Gen Mgr, Maintenance Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: Planner-Sch Site Facilities Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: Accountant 4 Acquired: 2/14/2008 Score - if available: 0 Analyst 1-Personnel Acquired: 2/25/2008 Score - if available: 0 Gen Mgr, Maintenance Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: 0 Inspector-Con str Acquired: 1/15/2008 Score - if available: 0 Accountant 4 Acquired: 2/14/2008 Score - if available: 0 Analyst 1-Personnel Acquired: 2/25/2008 Score - if available: 0

Gen Mgr, Maintenance Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: 0 Ins pector-Constr Acquired: 1/15/2008 Score - if available: 0 j QUICK LINKS: ] ARMED SERVICES CERTIFICATION WORK AUTHOR. COMMENTS (see top, left) COMPETENCIES (see top, left) CONTACT INFO. EDUCATION Multi Trades Worker 10 Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: 0 Operator-Senior Computer Acquired: 1/17/2008 Score - if available: 0 Planner-Sch Site Facilities Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: 0 Represent Sr-Call Ctr Suprt Acquired: 1/17/2008 Score - if available: 0 Represent-Customer Service Acquired: 1/24/2008 Score - if available: 0 Spec-Repair Parts Acquired: 1/17/2008 Score - if available:

Multi Trades Worker 10 Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: 0 Operator-Senior Computer Acquired: 1/17/2008 Score - if available: 0 Planner-Sch Site Facilities Acquired: 1/13/2008 Score - if available: 0 Represent Sr-Call Ctr Suprt Acquired: 1/17/2008 Score - if available: 0 Represent-Customer Service Acquired: 1/24/2008 Score - if available: 0 Spec-Repair Parts Acquired: 1/17/2008 Score - if available:

ETHNICITY JOB HISTORY JOB INTEREST RE FE RE N CES HR COMMENTS (if any) Current Date & Time: 5/20/2008 10:39:13 AM Name: Kipley, Thomas James Page 1 of3 [PRINT [Back to Previous Scsen] ONLINE Application [ .4’N’Z APPLICATION (PA31) LAWSON EMPLOYEE (PAll) 306329433 [ 43884 159175 Status: ACTIVE [ Status: A Last date of hire: 5/4/2008 https://apps.sdhc.k12.f1.us/brapps/aplinfo/PrinViewlndivApplnfoDB2.asp?LD=306329433 5/20/2008 ‘ion EnJed Page 2 of 3 Job_Families selected: Technical Professional;

CONTACT IN FORMATION [Back to Previous Screen] US Phone: WORK AUTHORIZATION: (Y) Applicant has current, valid work authorization. r-NIcITy: W ARMED SERVICES: Veteran? No, NOT a Veteran National Guard or Reserves? JOB INTEREST Date Available: 1/14/2008 What kind of job are you applying for? • tor; Accountant CERTIFICATION! LICENSES [Back to Previous Screen] Certificate/License Action Questions QUESTION #1: If you currently hold or ever held a florida Dept. of Education Teaching Certificate, has action ever been taken against your teaching certificate by the Florida Education Practices Commission? ANSWER:

N/A QUESTION #2: Has ANY state department of education ever refused to grant you certification or taken any disciplinaty action against you and/or your teaching certificate? ANSWER: N/A Certificate/License-- STATUS: No action status NOTE: IF on any Certificate/License, the state issuing the certificate IS NOT FLORIDA and/or there is NO CERTIFICATE NUMBER entered, that certificate/license information WILL NOT GO TO LAWSON. (per Janice Velez) •

Applicant did not enter any CERTIFICATES/LICENSES. (not required on application) EXPERIENCES/JOB HISTORY [Back to Previous Screen] Hilisborough County Public Schools (HCPS) EMPLOYEE INFO: Previous Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) employee? N Note: this answer was given when applicant filled out the application and may have changed since then. https://apps.sdhc.kl 2.fl.us/hr_apps/apl_info/PrinView_lndivApplnfojJB2.asp?ID=306329433 5/20/2008 ion EnJed Page 3 of 3 1.

Bus mess’s name: Robbins ManufACTURING (Tampa, FL US) Supervisor: Bruce Palmer May we call them? Yes 8139713030 ext:210 Location: Tampa, FL US / Your title at this experience: Accounting/Sales Rep Start date: 7/30/2002 End date4/8/2008 — Is this your current employer? No — REFERENCES [Back to Previous Screen] Reference Information in Lawson 1.R eference Name: Gabe High Business: Robbins Manufacturing Reference city: Tampa, FL US Business phone: 8139713030 ext: 202 Home/cell phone: 8139170545 Reference’s rating of applicant: Good/Exceeds Standards Reference Name: Gary Hurst Business: Robbins Manufacturing Reference city: Tampa, FL US Business phone: 8139713030 ext:426 Home/cell phone: 8139176447 Reference’s rating of applicant: Excellent/Exemplary EDUCATION [Back to Previous Screen] Grade/Degree/Achievement: High School or GED Equivalent Major: Business Administration and Ma Minor: Other *HS OR GED 2010-12-05 MINOR:Marketing College/Univ: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA Date of Completion: 12/5/2010 (Odd entry in earned degree slot) EDUCATION RECORDS IN LAWSON Degree: High School or GED Equivalent Subject: Business Administration UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA Grad Date: 12/5/2010 (in the future if then)

EDUCATION RECORDS IN LAWSON Degree: High School or GED Equivalent Subject: Other UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA Grad Date: 12/5/2010 ENTERED BYHR Sub Training completion date (if it applies): Date has not been entered by HR. htps://apps.sdhc.k12.fl.us/happs/apIjnfo/PrinView_JndivAppInfo_DB2.asp?1D=306329433 5/20/2008 Page lof3 F [Back to Previous Screen] [ QUICK LINKS: Job Families selected: Technical Professional; CONTACT INFORMATION [Back to Previous Screen] CONTACT INFO. EDUCATION ETHNICITY 5109 Rosegreen ct, Tampa, FL 33624 US Phone: 813-962-0156 JOB HISTORY JOB INTEREST WORK AUTHORIZATION: (Y) Applicant has current, valid work authorization.

ETHNICITY: ARMED SERVICES: Veteran? No, NOT a Veteran National Guard or Reserves? Reserves JOB INTEREST Date Available: 3/1/2007 What kind of job are you applying for? • Auditor; Accountant

CERTIFICATION/LICENSES [Back to Previous Screen] Certificate/License Action Questions QUESTION #1: If you currently hold or ever held a Florida Dept. of Education Teaching Certificate, has action ever been taken against your teaching certificate by the Florida Education Practices Commission? ANSWER: No session Ended

Current Date & Time: 5/8/2008 8:29:25 AM Name: Sajem, Taghreed Elgendi [PRINT ONLINE Application I LAWSON APPLICATION I (PA31) I LAWSdN EMPLOYEE (PA21) 997651924 I 31426 Lawson as employee 1 in (PA21) Status: ACTIVE Status: A Accountant 4 Acquired: 2/11/2007 Score - if available: Accountant 4 Acquired: 2/11/2007 Score - if available:

ARMED SERVICES CERTIFICATION HR COMMENTS (if any) WORK AUTHOR. COMMENTS (see top, left) COMPETENCIES (see top, left) E-mail address has not been validated. (3o4 REFERENCES https://apps.sdhc.k12.fl.us/hrapps/aplinfo/PrinViewhidivApplnfoDB2.asp?ffl=99765 1924 5/8/2008 session Ended Page 2 of 3 QUESTION #2: Has ANY state department of education ever refused to grant you certification or taken any disciplinary action against you and/or your teaching certificate? ANSWER: No Certificate/License-- STATUS: No action status

NOTE: IF on any Certificate/License, the state issuing the certificate IS NOT FLORIDA and/or there is NO CERTIFICATE NUMBER entered, that certificate/license information WILL NOT GO TO LAWSON. (per Janice Velez) Applicant did not enter any CERTIFICATES/LICENSES. (not required on application) EXPERIENCES/JOB HISTORY [Back to Previous Screen] Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) EMPLOYEE INFO; Previous Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) employee? N Note: this answer was given when applicant filled out the application and may have changed since then.

1.Business’s name: Tampa Airport Marriott (Tampa, FL US) Supervisor: Jason Conti

May we call them? Yes 813-554r5824 ext: Location: Tampa, FL

US Your title at this experience: General Accountant Start date: 11/12/2003 End Is this your current employer? 2.Bus mess’s name: Tampa Airport Marriott ampa, FL US) Supervisor: Conti May we call them? Yes 813-554-5824 .ext— Location: Tampa, FL US Your title at this experience GeneraI Accountant Start date: 11/12/2003 End ate: Is this your current employ ? Yes

REFERENCES [Back to Previous Screen] Reference Information in Lawson 1.R eference Name: Jason Conti Business: Tampa Airport Marriott Reference city: Tampa, FL US Business phone: 813-554-5824 ext: Home/cell phone: 813-849-3886 Reference’s rating of applicant: 2.R eference Name: Anthony Phillips Business: Tampa Airport Marriott Reference city: Tampa, FL US Business phone: 813-998-3701 ext: Home/cell phone: Reference’s rating of applicant: EDUCATION [Back to Previous Screen]

1.Grade/Degree/Achievement: Bachelors Degree Major: Other [economics minor]

https://apps.sdhc.k12.fl.us/hr_apps/apl_info/PrinViewffidivApplnfoDB2.asp?IDr=99765 1924 5/8/2008 ,sion Ended Page 3 of 3 *BACHELORS 1g79-06-06 MAJOR:Accounting Minor: Economics College/Univ: Date of Completion: 6/6/ 1979 Grade/Degree/Achievement: Bachelors Degree Major: Accounting Minor: Other College/Univ: Date of Completion: 6/6/1979

ENTERED BY HR Sub Training completion date (if it applies): Date has not been entered by HP. https://apps.sdhc.kl 2.fl.us/hrapps/apl_irifo/PrinView IndivApplnfo DB2.asp?ffl99765 1924 5/8/2008 I