To: Mayor Michael Nutter
Name the Anonymous Donors!
Mayor Nutter, the recent events surrounding the departure of Arlene Ackerman are very disturbing. The use of "anonymous" private contributions to her buyout package corrodes the integrity of the decision and could compromise the integrity of future school district contract awards. We DEMAND that the names of the anonymous contributors be publicized so that we, the citizens can see who is trying to buy our public institutions.
Why is this important?
Recently the School District of Philadelphia "released" the current Superintendent. A part of her departure package included $405,000 contributed by 'anonymous donors'. One of the controversies surrounding the ex-Super's tenure was the awarding of contracts to various suppliers and contractors. This "hidden buyout" process has created the condition where individuals with a financial interest in the operation of the district could have undue or undisclosed influence on how the district is operated.