Posted on 06/28/2016 8:28:26 AM PDT by rickmichaels
Philadelphia’s public school system was ordered to pay out $2.3 million in damages after a court found it deliberately discriminated against a white-owned business.
Security and Data Technologies, Inc. (SDT) was initially chosen by Philadelphia School District (PSD) and then-Superintendent Arlene Ackerman back in 2010 to install surveillance cameras at 19 schools PSD classified as particularly dangerous. After the company began preliminary work, it was abruptly “deselected” and the $7.5 million no-bid contract was then awarded on an emergency basis to IBS Communications, a company not eligible for no-bid contracts.
The abrupt turn of events, it turns out, had a racial motivation. An investigation by The Philadelphia Inquirer discovered Ackerman became fed up that the district kept giving contracts to white-owned companies. PSD is owned by two white men.
So, after telling other PSD administrators she would make sure “all these white boys didn’t get contracts,” Ackerman canceled SDT’s contract and diverted it over to IBS, which had black ownership.
After Ackerman’s stunt was publicized, SDT sued, and the six-year legal odyssey finally ended Monday with a victory for the plaintiffs. A jury ruled that the district, along with Ackerman’s estate (she died in 2013), must pay out $2.3 million in damages. The damages cover $2.1 million in lost profits along with a small sum of compensatory damages.
“It’s been a long, hard journey. Justice was served,” SDT attorney Michael Homans told the Inquirer.
PSD says it is exploring a possible appeal.
The case isn’t the only one that stemmed from Ackerman’s actions. Francis Dougherty, a member of the city’s School Reform Committee, was fired after he leaked Ackerman’s deeds to the press. He sued, claiming his free speech and whistleblower rights were violated. His case was settled for $725,000 earlier this year. Two more lawsuits are still pending.
Prior to her downfall, and almost simultaneously with her decision to cancel the SDT contract, Ackerman was praised by President Barack Obama.
PSD needs to lick its wounds and be thankful it wasn’t a lot more, and forget about wasting any more taxpayer money on an appeal.
Government Court orders a government school to pay a fine. Is this just an accounting trick or does actual monies come from the school district’s bank account and into the court’s bank?
Or is this just more Kabuki for the rubes?
No punitive damages for this CLEARLY willful act of discrimination based on race? This is a civil rights violation, for Pete’s sake.
They’re not paying a fine, they are paying damages to a private party that sued them.
This is what happens when you turn over civilization to retrograde, tribal dullards.
Every single black-run city has this exact same dynamic.
Every.
Single.
One.
Sounds like this woman managed to do a lot of damage before cashing out.
Great hire, Philly!
I'm sure the author meant "SDT is owned by two white men". I KNOW that PSD is not owned by two white men.
The gang who couldn’t shoot straight in Flint, MI was a real beaut in light of the drinking water fiasco. After they themselves took the action to get the water from the Flint River, it was all of a sudden Gov. Snyder’s fault for not letting them know how dangerous that would be?
Maybe it should be. The district might have a chance of educating some kids.
They should go to jail for it.
This is the most significant clause in this entire article.
The jury held Ackerman personally responsible, and assessed damages to her. Even though she died 3 years ago, her estate has apparently been held in probate until this was settled.
A whistleblower has already settled, although it's unclear who paid the settlement. And two more lawsuits are pending. There's a good chance nothing will be left of Ackerman's estate by the time this is all over.
I wonder what her heirs think of her, now? They probably think the "evil white guys stole our money", and have never considered that Ackerman brought this on herself -- and them.
Frankly, it's going to take more of this: when a civil servant does something damaging, the courts have to stop protecting them... and make him/her personally liable.
Sounds like the Jewish leftist had a bigger problem with White MEN than just Whites. Sexist more than racist.
Damages are being paid to the company that was abruptly terminated because it was owned by two white men.
But, not all of the damages are paid by the school district. Some of the damages are coming from the former superintendent's estate (she died in 2013).
So the Tax payer is on the hook again
She's dead, Jim.
(Didn't anyone read the article? It's all there at the top of the post -- you didn't even have to click a link)
“Some of the damages are coming from the former superintendent’s estate (she died in 2013).”
Best part. I wish she could have lived just long enough to see her estate depleted due to her racism. But don’t you DARE call HER a racist!!
“PSD is owned by two white men.
Another mistake by a crack journalist.
.
I wonder how the PI got anyone to investigate that.
Agreed. It’s high time the taxpayers stopped footing the bill for this crap.
L
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