PUSD Audit Cracks Council Up

The long-awaited audit of the Pasadena Unified's finances made it to the cruel light of day earlier this week, according to Kenneth Todd Ruiz in the PSN. Reactions, thus far, are mixed (to put it generously):

After nearly seven years of waiting, the City Council finally got to see an audit of Pasadena public schools Monday night.

The review of the district's leadership didn't answer all the council's questions and it may not be possible to implement all its recommendations, but with a new superintendent making his first appearance before the council, it was no time for blood-letting.

"It's time to hold hands and not to start making digs," Councilman Victor Gordo said Tuesday.

Ah, how nice of Mr. Gordo. You wanna sing Kumbaya while you're holding hands? It sounds like it's time to dig up some reform for the district. Gibson Consulting, which was responsible for the audit, is declaring things aren't so bad--"said the audit should dispel a common misperception the school district is top-heavy and overstaffed"-- but it seems many spectators are less than impressed.

Councilman Paul Little questioned why the audit credited PUSD for making "good decisions" such as closing schools and replacing a school district police force with the Pasadena Police Department.

"You might have noticed the amusement around the table here when you mentioned the outsourcing of police functions as being a good decision made by the school district," Little said, adding, "They decided not to have a police function any more," and the council paid $6 million to bring in the police.

Ouch. Sorry PUSD, that's the city council laughing at you. On a more positive note, maybethis will begin the long process of reformation of the beleaguered school district. Hey, we can hope.