Bush Family Co. Capitalizes on Education Act (NCLB)

[deadparrot]

Washington -- A company headed by President Bush's brother and partly owned by his parents is benefiting from Republican connections and federal dollars targeted for economically disadvantaged students under the No Child Left Behind Act.

With investments from his parents, George H.W. and Barbara Bush, and other backers, Neil Bush's company, Ignite! Learning, has placed its products in 40 U.S. school districts and plans to market internationally.

At least 13 U.S. school districts have used federal funds available through the president's signature education reform, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, to buy Ignite's portable learning centers at $3,800 apiece.

The law provides federal funds to help school districts better serve disadvantaged students and improve their performance, especially in reading and math.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ignite22oct22,0,4402778.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Rex]

1. Take advantage of the poor?

The BFEE? You have no idea...

[Tellurian]

6. Isn't there a line ..

somewhere in the Constitution stating that neither the president, nor
the president's family can enrich themselves through connections acquired while in office?..

I know, I know, at this late date to be mentioning this, in light of the
Iraq War, as their biggest JackPot to date. Nevertheless, this screams Conflict of Interest.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. His product is called a 'COW'

Curriculum on Wheels.

And it is basically just a video player, from what I understand, that costs $3800.

[checks-n-balances]

3. Is it also known as a "whiteboard" or something like that?

Not like a dry erase board, but I know there's a new expensive display board that's being touted by some teachers these days, so I'm wondering if that's what this thing is.

Should be called a "Bush Cash COW". Like the Iraq invasion & occupation could be called a Cash Cow for GOP Cronies.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I believe you are thinking of 'smart boards'

They are really cool. They are basically computers that project on a white board. That isn't what Neil is selling. From what I can tell, it is just a fancy video player with a $3800 price tag.

[GCP]

4. Seems like it's a cash cow for little Neil

This guy is the lowest of the Shrubs IMHO. He's made his fortune from who he knows and Babs pushing Katrina funds at him - after he lost millions of other peoples' money in the Silverado S&L disaster - for which he got a tap on the wrist.

Lots of gold here http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A35297-2003Dec27?language=printer

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Isn't he the brother who got in trouble with hookers in Thailand?

[GCP]

15. From the above link:

Life sure is fun when you're Neil Bush, son of one president, brother of another.

Just how much fun was revealed in a deposition taken last March, during Bush's very nasty divorce battle. Asked by his wife's attorney whether he'd had any extramarital affairs, Bush told the story of his Asian hotel room escapades.

"Mr. Bush," said the attorney, Marshall Davis Brown, "you have to admit that it's a pretty remarkable thing for a man just to go to a hotel room door and open it and have a woman standing there and have sex with her."

"It was very unusual," Bush replied.

Actually, it wasn't that unusual. It happened at least three or four times during Bush's business trips to Asia, he said: "I don't remember the exact number."

"Were they prostitutes?" asked Brown.

"I don't -- I don't know," Neil replied.

"Did you pay them?"

"No."

[checks-n-balances]

28. All those millions from NCLB, etc., yet no $$ for hookers???

Besides all his other despicable qualities, sounds like he's quite the tightwad. If it gets around that he stiffs them, he may end up paying after all if someone gets real creative with him (in an intimate way) on his next visit... :evilgrin:

[tanyev]

5. How sweet.

He named it in honor of his Mama.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. ROFL!

:rofl:

[brer cat]

25. Spewing wine on the keyboard and

:rofl:

[rodeodance]

11. yes and see its relation to Rev. Sun Myung Moon,

...Known as COW, for Curriculum on Wheels (the portable learning centers resemble cows on wheels), Ignite's product line is geared toward middle school social studies, history and science. The company says it has developed a social studies program that meets curriculum requirements in seven states. Its science program meets requirements in six states.

Most of Ignite's business has been obtained through sole-source contracts without competitive bidding. Neil Bush has been directly involved in marketing the product.

In addition to federal or state funds, foundations and corporations have helped buy Ignite products. The Washington Times Foundation, backed by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, head of the South Korea-based Unification Church, has peppered classrooms throughout Virginia with Ignite's COWs under a $1-million grant.

Oil companies and Middle East interests with long political ties to the Bush family have made similar bequests. Aramco Services Co., an arm of the Saudi-owned oil company, has donated COWs to schools, as have Apache Corp., BP and Shell Oil Co.

[jwirr]

26. NO bid contracts and influence peddling. Just another pug deal.

[rodeodance]

10. more-read the rest of article!!

But Ignite does not offer reading instruction, and its math program will not be available until next year.

The federal Department of Education does not monitor individual school district expenditures under the No Child program, but sets guidelines that the states are expected to enforce, spokesman Chad Colby said.

Ignite executive Tom Deliganis said that "some districts seem to feel OK" about using No Child money for the Ignite purchases, "and others do not."

Neil Bush said in an e-mail to The Times that Ignite's program had demonstrated success in improving the test scores of economically disadvantaged children. He also said political influence had not played a role in Ignite's rapid growth.

[stepnw1f]

16. kick... read the Rest DU! (nt)

[Le Taz Hot]

12. Well, how nice for them

and here my husband and his partner have been banging on doors at the local, state, AND federal level to get SOMEbody to just look at the outstanding on-line curriculum they've spent years researching and writing and can rarely even get an audience. Meanwhile my husband and I almost went bankrupt and our partner, who sacrificed EVERYTHING is about to lose his home and everything he's worked for for 35 years -- all because either we can't get an audience or when we do, the $$ are already "earmarked." Honest-to-goddess this makes me sick to my stomach.

[leesa]

14. You can't win against the Bush Crime Family...they own the world, don't

ya know? Trailer Trash with Power

[brer cat]

27. You nailed it leesa. "Trailer Trash with Power".

I think that every time the COW opens her mouth.

To Le Taz Hot, you have my sympathy. For your husband & partner to have spent so much time on what is probably...make that unquestionably since a Bush is involved...better product has to be heartbreaking.

[Jester_11218]

13. TVNL Reported this in 2003

This indformation was known for years. Why is it just now being reported?
I reported this in 2003!

Jesse - Editor, TvNewsLIES.org

[Joanne98]

17. The No Bush Left Behind Act!

[crikkett]

18. Bush's family profits from 'No Child' act

Bush's family profits from 'No Child' act
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ignite22oct22,0,469487,full.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

With investments from his parents, George H.W. and Barbara Bush, and other backers, Neil Bush's company, Ignite! Learning, has placed its products in 40 U.S. school districts and now plans to market internationally.
...
Neil Bush said in an e-mail to The Times that Ignite's program had demonstrated success in improving the test scores of economically disadvantaged children. He also said political influence had not played a role in Ignite's rapid growth.
...
Most of Ignite's business has been obtained through sole-source contracts without competitive bidding. Neil Bush has been directly involved in marketing the product.
...
Neil Bush said he is a businessman who does not attempt to exert political influence, and he called The Times' inquiries about his venture — made just before the election — "entirely political."



Some Facts:
- workstations cost $3800/each.
- there's no reading instruction
- math won't be available until next year.
- 75% of some 1700 deployed units are in Texas schools
- Barbara Bush's Katrina Releif donation was earmarked for purchases of Ignite products in TX schools

In addition to federal NCLB money, private interests help to buy systems for schools
- The Washington Times Foundation (backed by Rev. Moon)
- Oil companies and Middle East interests
- Aramco Services Co.
- Apache Corp.
- BP
- Shell Oil Co.

Ignite's Investors include global heavy-hitters
- Mom & Pop
- Mohammed Al Saddah (Kuwaiti CEO)
- Winston Wong (Chinese Computer CEO)
- Boris A. Berezovsky (fugitive Russian Oilman)
- Badri Patarkatsishvili (his partner)

It pays to have friends in high places!

[pooja]

19. Knowing what you know about the Bush regime, do you trust them

teaching your children? This is crazy.

[xchrom]

20. the lords and ladies of old europe could take lessons

about cronyism from bushco.

[Haole Girl]

24. Nothing surprises me with the Bush Crooks. eom

[nini]

21. there are much better alternatives out there for this

http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/ is an example that provide learning programs on all subjects.

http://www.broderbund.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=8&path=1%2C2%2C8 is another and there are plenty more.

These companies actually provide math and reading products you can buy to run on any computer.. no need for that $3,800 machine.



Those fuckers never cease to amaze me. :puke:

[reprobate]

22. As of '03 when I researched this, they had profitted by $3 Billion from it

The Bush Crime Family had a contract with the state of Florida - and you know who the governor is related to - to supply the test preparation study guides for the price of three dollars per student per year. That adds up to haybails of money, three billion reported at the time.

Who knows what it totals now.

Just another way this evil (now that's a word I don't use often, but it certainly applies to them) group of wasters of good protein has bilked so much money from the US taxpayer. And both Neil and Jethro were involved in the S&L scheme. I was amazed they dared to run Jethro for governor after that, but of course the corporate media said not a word against him about it during the first campaign, and had forgotten it by the second campaign.

IMHO, there should be an island of the coast of equitorial Africa - where it's REALLY HOT - on which is constructed a prison - without A/C - on which every member of the Bush clan, down to the third degree relations are imprisoned for the rest of their natural lives. They should be monitored by webcams 24/7 so we can all see their sufferring. And the guards would all be volunteer democrats. They would eat only what they could grow on the rocky island. It's about time this bunch of bloodsuckers did some honest labor. They never have before.

[RedEarth]

23. KR