moving story about whistler-blower at American University

Parents Forum
1

<p>The Chronicle of Higher Education ran a story today reporting on the whistle-blower on the former American U president (forced to resign because of outrageous and lavish expense account abuse–a US Senate committee is currently investigating that story.)</p>

<p>I was deeply moved by the poignant contrast in circumstances between the president (who was paid $3.75 million in a severance settlement to leave before he further embarrassed the university) and the whistle-blower (the president’s former driver, who had been paid $40,000 a year to ferry his boss about and run all sorts of personal errands, but who was fired for taking a restroom stop while driving his boss from Philadelphia to DC.)</p>

<p>The president got all sorts of “perks” on the job. The driver had hoped for the perk of being able to send his two daughters to college tuition-free (a benefit extended to employees at American–his hopes for that benefit evaporated when he was fired.)</p>

<p>The president was white. The driver was black.</p>

<p>The president had extensive education and a long career history. The driver was a veteran, diagnosed with PTSD which had resulted in medical problems, including colon surgery, which necessitated regular restroom stops on long trips.</p>

<p>The Chronicle of Higher Ed story is subscription-only but it linked to an interview in a greater-Washington area black newspaper:</p>

<p><a href=“Examiner is back - Examiner.com”>Examiner is back - Examiner.com;

2

<p>Thanks Wisteria. Actually the Examiner is not a black newspaper, it’s a free paper provided throughout the DC area.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the correction, dudedad. I apparently confused the Examiner with the Informer, a longer-established newspaper serving the African American community in the DC area.</p>

<p>I hadn’t previously heard of the Examiner until the Chronicle linked to the interview. I looked up the origins of the Examiner, which was a new and unfamiliar name to me. According to wikipedia, it originated as a suburban “shopper” chain (Prince George’s Journal, Montgomery Journal, Northern Va Journal) until it was acquired, reformatted, and renamed by the new owner, who also owns the San Francisco Examiner.</p>

4

<p>The Examinier is a paper that is routinely thrown on one’s doorstep no matter how many times a request to stop is tendered.</p>

5

<p>Besides the racial discrepency, it is troubling of the inequality between two people from opposite backgrounds. I hope this issue is brought the attention it deserves. .</p>

6

<p>It’s very frustrating to think I’m going to AU next year and that money that should of gone to students’ education is in the hands of that a**hole Bed Ladner. Severance package? He should of been handed a lawsuit. At least that way, the money spent in legal fees would of gone toward justice.</p>