AUDIT, RACIAL CLASSES URGED FOR DISTRICT; GRIEVANCE DISPOSITION PROPOSED.Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer The Palmdale School District The Palmdale School District is a school district that serves a major part of the city of Palmdale, California (USA). The Palmdale School District was first formed in 1888. Approximately 28,000 students are enrolled in the Palmdale School District. should audit its contracting process and hold race sensitivity seminars as part of a proposed disposition of an employee grievance filed by suspended district spokeswoman Diana Beard-Williams. Those were the recommendations of Pasadena attorney Urrea Jones, who was hired to investigate the complaint, filed against the district in October 1998 by Beard-Williams, who was placed on paid leave last month after accusing Superintendent Nancy Smith of trying to defraud To make a Misrepresentation of an existing material fact, knowing it to be false or making it recklessly without regard to whether it is true or false, intending for someone to rely on the misrepresentation and under circumstances in which such person does rely on it to his or the Head Start program. ``I think his calling my concerns genuine and his corrective action A corrective action is a change implemented to address a weakness identified in a management system. Normally corrective actions are instigated in response to a customer complaint, abnormal levels if internal nonconformity, nonconformities identified during an internal audit or plan are quite accurate about double standards, and that the business practices of the school district need to be handled on a more appropriate basis,'' Beard-Williams said. ``His findings validate many of my grievances and concerns.'' Beard-Williams filed an employee grievance alleging harassment, mistreatment mis·treat tr.v. mis·treat·ed, mis·treat·ing, mis·treats To treat roughly or wrongly. See Synonyms at abuse. mis·treat and creation of a hostile and oppressive work environment because she refused to participate in what she considered was the fraudulent act of charging Head Start for salaries and benefits for employees not associated with the federal program. The Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Office of Education conducted an audit and concluded in October that the district incorrectly charged Head Start for $178,496 in salaries and benefits for employees not associated with the program, but the audit made no findings of fraud. Beard-Williams also alleged in her complaint discriminatory work practices based on race, favoritism, long-term alliances and loyalties, records show. Smith said the grievance is a legal issue and refused further comment. Beard-Williams said Jones was hired to investigate her complaint and issued his findings in a report. Among his recommended ``corrective actions,'' the attorney said the board of trustees board of trustees Politics The posse of thugs who oversee an institution's administration. See Board of directors. should request that the county education office conduct an audit of the district's books and records regarding its contracting out for goods and services In economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility (unless the "good" is a "bad"). It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax. . ``If the county finds evidence of irregularities in the bid process, that the board of trustees take appropriate actions to assure that such irregularities do not recur, and that the board of trustees take appropriate disciplinary action against any employee found guilty of misconduct,'' Jones wrote. He recommended that the board direct Smith to retain qualified people to conduct seminars for administrators and staff members ``to sensitize sen·si·tize v. To make hypersensitive or reactive to an antigen, such as pollen, especially by repeated exposure. them to racial, gender and cultural diversity issues and their impact on the education of pupils, and to conduct seminars on conflict resolution.'' Jones also said the district should hold separate public forums with employees and the public to ``ascertain whether district policies and practices are motivated by or perceived to be motivated by favoritism or race,'' and if so, what steps can be taken to resolve those issues. In his findings, Jones wrote, ``The genuine concerns raised by the complainant A plaintiff; a person who commences a civil lawsuit against another, known as the defendant, in order to remedy an alleged wrong. An individual who files a written accusation with the police charging a suspect with the commission of a crime and providing facts to support the allegation and others cannot be dealt with constructively until the rhetoric of racism subsides.'' Jones said he interviewed 24 people as part of his investigation. |
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