We couldn’t help but notice that the VI Board of Education staff whips around in shiny new dual-exhaust air conditioned cars while students at John H. Woodson Junior High School suffer through the heat with only dual exhaust fans to move the stifling air.
Makes you wonder where the financial priorities lie….
We’re just sayin…
More than half of the contributions Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen has received in the current election cycle are linked to a Washington contractor who is the subject of a federal inquiry.
According to an article today in the Washington Post, Christensen has received at least $37,000 from contractor Jeffrey Thompson, who is suspected of using “straw” or phantom donors to evade contribution limits that are set for candidates running for office. His operations have drawn the attention of Federal authorities.
According to the article, Thompson’s accounting firm Thompson, Cobb, Brazilio and Associates, has 189 contracts with the federal government, worth $17.1 million. The company has done some business in the Virgin Islands, auditing grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Highway Administration. TCBA recently advertised for an accounting position based in Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands.
Recently, Christensen has urged the Federal Election Commission to investigate the election system of the Virgin Islands, citing public discontent with the way the Board of Elections in operating. Perhaps this current development will hasten their acceptance of her request.
As many of you heard recently, CIF President Michael Springer, at left, delivered the first in a series of radio announcements that will target specific issues and offer analysis on our most pressing concerns.
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Wow!!! This is rediculous.
Does anyone care about us (the youth)?
Yes, I believe I once heard a slogan somewhere -”Our children are our future…”
Who said that?
Again I say Why are we so surprise! This has been going on for years, have you ever visited the offices of some of the higher up? The only thing they don’t have in their office is a BED! and our children are short on text book, bad plumbing and i can go on and on. We have nobody to blame but our self, we continue to allow things like this to go on. Keep looking and you will soon see that car at the supermarket, laundry and you might just see it at a nightclub and remember when it needs tire and get bang up by the driver we the taxpayer are going to have to pay for that!!!!!
It is even more interesting that School Superintendent Gary Malloy, Crista-Ann Malloy Vice Principal of Woodson Jr. High actually OWN their very own private school on STX. Bridges Academy is wholly owned by the Malloy’s. Can you say conflict of interest? Not only in the supervisory arena by virtue of Mr. Malloy is supervising Mrs. Mally indirectly, but by each of the Malloy’s being principal owners and Mrs. being the program administrator. Wonder how much work Mrs. Malloy gets done at Woodson with her duel responsibilities directly impacting the family income? Ditto for Mr. Malloy.
Connect the dots and see why Woodson is in such a state. If anything, one would think it would be one of the best schools in light of the Vice Principal’s husband!
My God, No wonder that schhol have so much problems, is there no other person that doe can put in charge and let Malloy go to his own school? I’m now wondering if his school ever suffers the same problems that woodson is suffering and if not the answer is you can’t be two places at the same time, this is another reason why we have so much corruption in doe. Keep looking for nepotism there is a lot of it taking place in doe.
How absurd! I believe I saw this car go through F’sted town, thinking how some drug dealer just made a good score! What is Property & Procurement thinking? VI Code states:
§ 157. Acquisition and disposal of motor vehicles; title
(a) No Government agency shall procure any motor vehicle of any type unless prior approval is first obtained from the Commissioner or his designee, the Deputy Commissioner and such approval is ratified by the Legislature’s Committee on Finance; provided, however if the Committee on Finance has not acted to disapprove such procurement within fifteen (15) working days after receipt thereof, the procurement shall be deemed approved and ratified.
Seems like DOE has a warm & fuzzy relationship with P&P, or P&P is just plain out of control!
I can’t quite see the connection with the Molloys owning a school and Woodson being in the state that it is in. First of all, Mrs. Molloy is the Vice Principal and doesn’t have the full responsibility of the school as does the principal. Secondly, just because someone owns a school doesn’t mean that they are running the day-to-day operation of the school. I think we should applaud them for their venture. However, if the Mrs. Molloy can’t effectively juggle her two roles then she should be let go. And, Thirdly, many of the problems at Woodson is related to the location of the school; at least someone told me that.
I think that they should tear Woodson down and build a school that does not require central air. We may have to go back to our roots when it comes to architecture.
Kenrick, so are you saying that the mold is due to the location? I was under the impression that mold and other problems at the school was due to lack of maintenance. Maintenance that the Molloys is SUPPOSE to be able to demand for the school and to make matters worse he is SUPERINTENDENT! and of course Mrs. Malloy don’t want to ruffle feathers. All for the children, yea right!
June – Good point, however I was more pointing out that the location is a high moisture area. I can’t comment on the responsibility of the Superintendent/Commissioners/Principals, because I do not quite have a grasp for that. As far as I know, all of the schools suffer from poor maintenance. So, I am not sure that it is so cut and dry in that the problem is with the Molloys.
I personally believe that we have a systemic problem that goes right up to the Governor. But, some may only see the problem as a local one. Perhaps, there is no money to fund maintenance. I think once I calculated how much money went to salaries, and it was really high; leaving little for anything but salaries.
Anyway, I don’t want to seem like I am defending the Molloys. I don’t even know them. I am for comprehensive change not simply moving or shuffling people hoping that we will have dramatic changes as a result.
I don’t understand the objective of comparing the acquisition of a V.I. Board of Education vehicle with the ventilation situation at John H. Woodson Junior High School. Further, the association has caused some in this forum to unnecessarily tie the topic to the department of education and further to Gary Molloy and Crista-Ann Molloy. The Board of Education and the Department of Education are two separate entities. The Board’s budget does not affect what happens in education.
Whether that vehicle should have been purchased is neither here nor there. At this time we don’t even know how much it costs. How does the purchase of the vehicle affect the condition at Woodson? It doesn’t. It should be noted that several months ago it was reported in the media that the Board of Education purchased several laptops specifically for Woodson School, after repeated break-ins at the school resulted in several computer equipment being stolen. I’m unaware of the final outcome. But the Board’s delivery of the laptops was on the condition of the school having a secure area to place the equipment.
As for the mold issue: Woodson is built on what used to be swamp land. Therefore, due to moisture problems, the school is prone to mold build-up. This challenge needs to be addressed. The government has shown some progress. But those actions definitely need to be expedited.
What is interesting about the discussion of the Molloys owning a school is how this known fact was recently brought to light again. I found it intriguing that a reporter of The Virgin Islands Daily News, in an article that highlighted the graduation at Bridges Academy, went to great lengths, not only to specify who the owners are, but also to indicate their government-held positions with the Department of Education.
I thought that was a bit unusual. And depending on who read the article and how they slated it, I felt it could be viewed negatively or positively, as is evident in this forum. However, I have never seen (perhaps they have) The Virgin Islands Daily News or any other printed media, hardcopy or online, indicate who were the owners of any other private school in the territory, particularly in reference to graduation ceremonies.
Both Gary and Crista-Ann Molloy have different yet related roles to play in the maintenance of Woodson School. However, neither of them works for the Board of Education. And the Board’s purchases do not determines what happens at Woodson.
While the school does need major and immediate capitol improvements, we must be careful not to engage in unfair characterizations and unparallel comparisons which lead us away from finding real solutions to existing problems.
The Molloys are crooks.
Students who fail in the public school are sometimes encouraged to attend their school. How could anyone say this is not a conflict of interest? They have a lot to gain when students fail. Why, then, should they encourage students to perform at optimum level?
Those who do not know them well can not imagine what kind of people they’re. They are very anti-social and selfish. The wife especially is an unfriendly person. Let’s take a closer look at this situation.
Students who failed in school were encouraged to register for summer school where every year until now they were required to pay. This year summer public school is free and students are flocking in great numbers to register. This initiative is being pushed by Mr. Molloy while school principals were against it.
I guess this was the Molloy’s strategy to fill their private school with students who would be required to pay? Is that correct Instigator? We should take a closer look. We should take a closer look at those who choose to run PUBLIC SCHOOLS like their private businesses collecting and using funds during the semester and in the summer that cannot be tracked.
Ten Again, I’m quit aware of the VIBE and DOE are two separate entities,and keeping in mind that everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I read your comments with my mouth open and couldn’t believe what you wrote in reference to the Molloy’s and their private school. I immediately started to put together another set of comments but VIInstigator is saying is for me, you must be living in another world to think that both of them would not show some interest in THEIR PRIVATE SCHOOL!!!
In reference to the mold at the school , my question to the person(s) with the idea of building anthing in that area why did they? knowing the area is swamp like!
Ten Again, after reading vi instigator read u- turn own and find another comments because yours just doesn’t make sense and you know it!
Shame! This is how we leave no children behind.
Ten Again, I’m sure the VIBE is funded by general fund appropriations just like the DOE. If they didn’t have use for the money, I’m sure Gov. deJongh would have gladly accepted the return of it. Every little bit counts….and it adds up. That $20k+ the car costs could have been applied towards bringing CHS into compliance or for other minor maintenance in schools. It’s time for this government to get serious and cut some costs from it’s operations.
June,
I am puzzled. First, you begin by stating that “everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.” However, you then conclude by suggesting that I “find another comments because [mine] just doesn’t make sense and [I] know it!” I guess my opinion doesn’t count.
I never said or implied that individuals were not entitled to their opinion. And at no time did I address or refer to anything you wrote. I made the distinction between the Board of Education and the Department of Education because Crucian For Change, in the discussion of the acquisition of the Board of Education vehicle stated it “Seems like DOE has a warm and fuzzy relationship with P&P, or P&P is just plain out of control.”
About the Molloys: In an earlier comment, Kenrick said “I can’t quite see the connection with the Molloys owning a school and Woodson being in the state that it is in.” It seems odd that you didn’t jump on that, considering your response to what I said or rather didn’t say.
At no time did I say or imply that the Molloys would not show an interest in their private school. And, I have yet to understand, after rereading my comments, what would have left you aghast.
I don’t have any qualms with the opinions made by anyone in this forum. Opine away.
Why, exactly, does BOE need a fleet of cars? What do they do to warrant a car in the first place? They do not visit schools and if they do have blinders on when submitting their yearly overview on school conditions. I was under the impression the BOE were elected officials that met maybe monthly……why the car? Is the BOE even needed or can we cut them out altogether and demand principals and the commissioner actually do their job???
Ten Again, I still have my mouth open because you don’t seems to understand. You started out ” your Comments” with ” I don’t understand the objective in comparing the car of VIBE and the ventilation of Woodson school.”
THERE IS A PROBLEM THERE BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ARE BEING TAUGHT IN A HOT CLASSROOMS WHILE THE DRIVER(S) OF THE CAR HAVE AC . (don’t you understand that?) If you continue to read my reply to kendrick he replied back with the understanding of my point. It is in my comments to you that I also questioned his comments in asking why was the school or anything built there! Please don’t take my comments to you personal, it just that i have a hard time understand that persons just don’t get the point! I have been reading all the comments, yours and part of Kenrick seems to be so far fetch on this matter that’s why i responded the way i did.
I believe ViInstigator is very bias when it comes to the Molloys. The comments sound like a personal issue to me. Their private business has nothing to do with the conditions of John H. Woodson.