Nets Education - Unitech Student

Nets Education

Local education reporting is rarely glamorous, but a team of California journalists has shown that it can be powerful.

They revealed that the superintendent of a small school district in Los Angeles County had received excessive compensation and an unusually plush set of perks at the same time tight budgets were forcing teacher layoffs and budget cuts.

As a result of their work, the superintendent was removed from his job. The FBI and local officials launched criminal investigations. State legislation was drafted to prevent similar abuses from occurring elsewhere.

And on Monday, the journalists and their newspaper — the Daily Breeze in Torrance, Calif. — were rewarded with a Pulitzer Prize. It was an unexpected recognition for a small newsroom and the first Pulitzer for any paper in the Breeze’s chain, the Los Angeles News Group.

Reporters Rob Kuznia and Rebecca Kimitch and editor Frank Suraci won the award for the Breeze.

Kuznia was the education beat reporter covering multiple school districts in the area. He kicked off the Breeze’s series of stories when he discovered, after deciphering dense contract language, that Jose Fernandez, the superintendent of the Centinela Valley Union High School District, had been paid more than $660, 000 in 2013.

The newspaper documented that the Centinela Valley school board had also given Fernandez a home loan worth $910, 000 with no down payment and an interest rate of 2 percent — incredible terms for anyone, but especially for someone like Fernandez, who had just emerged from personal bankruptcy.

Fernandez cemented his position by steering contracts to political allies, according to the Breeze, and by inserting a provision into his contract that made him difficult to fire by requiring a super majority of school board members to vote in favor of removal. And school board members were paid more than five times the legal limit for a district of Centinela Valley’s size, according to the Breeze.

The district is about four square miles and serves about 6, 000 students.

“This goes to show what solid local news reporting can do over time, ” Sciacqua said in March, after the series was recognized by the Scripps Howard National Journalism Awards. “Rob fought for and deciphered thousands of documents and kept digging until he had all the pieces. Ultimately, his work helped people who didn’t even know they were being taken advantage of — and they still wouldn’t if not for this reporting.”

Kuznia left the Breeze in August and now works as a publicist at the University of Southern California’s Shoah Foundation, according to his Web site. Spokesman Josh Grossberg said by phone that he’d sent Kuznia home to celebrate Monday, and Kuznia didn’t answer his cellphone — perhaps because he was celebrating.

The Pulitzer citation lauded the reporters “for their inquiry into widespread corruption in a small, cash-strapped school district, including impressive use of the paper’s Web site.”

The Breeze won in the local reporting category. Finalists were reporters for the Chicago Tribune, for an investigation into government corruption in a Chicago suburb, and the Tulsa World, for their reporting after a botched execution in Oklahoma.

You might also like
net
net
tinmung.net.flv
tinmung.net.flv
American Educational American Educational Nylon Insect Net with 14" Ring
BISS (American Educational)
  • Net for insect specimen capture
  • Extendible from 18.0 to 32.0 for range of reach
  • 14.0 ring for collection
  • 48.0 net length for preventing escape of insects
  • Made of nylon for durability
School Specialty Sportime Mesh Drawstring Storage Bags - 24 x 34 inches - Set of 6 - Assorted Colors
BISS (School Specialty)
  • Mesh bags for storing and transporting athletic equipment
  • Set of six for multiple use
  • Assorted colors for controlling and tracking equipment distribution
  • Drawstrings for secure packing
  • Measures 24.0 x 34.0 inches (L x W)
Learning Resources Learning Resources Folding Geometric Shapes
Office Product (Learning Resources)
  • Innovative folding geometric shape set is perfect for hands-on lessons in symmetry, perimeter, area, surface area and volume
  • Unique 3D form brings concepts to life
  • Each shape features a hang tab and sturdy cardboard base (except sphere)
  • For children between 7 to 12 years
Teibasine Case for iPhone 5/5s YorkshifeCoactColleqe Yorkshire Archives Anglotopia Net Further Education Colleges In North Yorkshire Light weight with strong PC plastic
Wireless (Xiaweiyan)
  • Compatible for iPhone 5/5S constructed from high quality PC.
  • Prevent accidental scratches or bumps for your phone.
  • Easy to put your phone on it no tools needed.
  • Material:Made with strong PC plastic
  • Beautiful high quality images printed on the cover.
Insect Lore Insect Lore Extend A Net
Toy (Insect Lore)
  • Handle Extends to make a net over 3 feet long
  • Net rim folds for extra easy storage
  • Wood-grain handle adds real charm
Related Posts