Thank goodness for the interim designation for Baltimore County schools superintendent Verletta White. Ms. White has been getting consulting fees from Chicago-based Education Research & Development Institute since 2013. She failed to list this income on her financial disclosure forms because she did not think it was the type of earned income that needed to be listed (“State officials want review of Baltimore County school leaders’ ties to tech firms,” Nov. 9). Earned income is earned income. Especially when that income is derived from a source which represents a company doing business, on a no-bid contract, with the Baltimore County school system.
Ms. White did list the income on her taxes, so I am not sure why she thinks it is income where the government is concerned, but not income for her disclosure forms. She estimated that she was paid $3,000 per year by ERDI. While $3,000 pales in comparison to her $265,000 salary, there was recently a mayor of a nearby city who was toppled for stealing gift cards.
Ms. White's predecessor, Dallas Dance, also worked for ERDI without disclosing that information to the Baltimore County school board in 2014 or 2015. Mr. Dance is currently under investigation for his relationship with another company that had a contract with the school system. It seems Ms. White has learned too well from Mr. Dance.
Baltimore County, if you haven't started a new search for a school superintendent yet, it is time. Don't remove the “interim” designation from Verletta White — until she is replaced.
Wayne R. Carson, Baltimore
