Technology Integration Group was raided by the FBI today, link.
The TIG has had a long and lucrative relationship with the leadership of the Albuquerque Public Schools. The relationship dates back to a time when APS senior administrators were spending $50K at a whack "without involving Purchasing" in a Finance Department where auditors found; inadequate standards, inadequate accountability to such standards as there are, and inadequate record keeping - the trifecta of public corruption. Larry Barker was on their trail for awhile, link. Mark Bralley dug deeper, link. Likely, millions and millions of dollars went missing.
Most recently, TIG sold APS and taxpayers a whole bunch of whiteboards, millions of dollars worth, now gathering dust all over the district.
Stay tuned.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
APS vendor raided by the FBI
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5 comments:
What are you talking about Ched? I couldn't even teach without the whiteboards we get from TIG. That board has completely changed the way I teach, for the better. I'm sure we could get them anywhere...but there is nothing wrong with the products or support we get from TIG, I can't speak to any of the money stuff or relationships...but they're great folks, some of them are retired teachers too and they've always been very supportive to teachers and even the union.
Like anything in APS, there are probably teachers who swear by them and teachers that swear at them.
I've heard there are people who have them and can't use them because they can't get "trained", and people who want them and can't get them.
They have one in the DeLayo Martin board room, I never saw them use it in any meetings I attended. If someone told you, there were others at 6400 Uptown that weren't being used, would it surprise you?
Survey results would be interesting.
They probably don't even know where they are anymore.
Thank you for your service in the classroom, and your attention to my blog.
We don't disagree about management, their use of the boards, or even their ability to implement ANYTHING successfully. I'm giving you the teacher perspective, and that is...the boards are amazing, I have never met a teacher with one that didn't feel that way (unless they were just anti-tech). It has also been my experience that the TIG folks are fantastic and usually very supportive to teachers. Did you know they only hire APS teachers to do the board training?
I'm just being objective about them, I appreciate you calling out the financial and leadership misdeeds...but don't paint the whole project or organization as bad. I don't want to lose my board!
In my school those that wanted them got them. Unfortunately, quite a few didn't work properly from the get go. No one can seem to " fix " them, so more than not have turned into HUGE WHITE ELEPHANTS. I just wonder who got the kickback!
Uh, well these "fantastic people" at TIG were raided by the FBI and the IRS last week, so something is obvioulsy wrong with their business practices on several levels. They are well known for their "pay-to-play" activities, especially at APS where they threw lavish "appreciation" parties at expensive restaurants and gave free technology gifts out.
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