Rauner tries defense
Tuesday, Jan 14, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* CBS2 interviewed Bruce Rauner about the renewed controversy over the alleged strings he pulled to get his Winnetka daughter into a top-flight Chicago public school ahead of other applicants…
Rauner admits making a call to former Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan to see how he could get his daughter into Payton, despite what he calls a middle school attendance record marred by illness. He says principals have some discretion in admitting a small percentage of students, and parents have a right to make an appeal like he did.
“There’s nothing to apologize for that, there’s nothing wrong with it, and I would do it again and again,” he tells CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine in a one-on-one interview.
Rauner said he gave money to Walter Payton Prep more than a year after his daughter was admitted there. He said he and he wife have donated millions to schools.
* OK, most people would only be able to call the local principal to file an appeal. Rauner went straight to the tippety top…
So how difficult was it for an average Chicago student to be admitted into Payton College Prep the year that Bruce Rauner made a call to get his daughter in?
More than 9,000 students applied for 353 open seats in the 2008-09 academic year, according to data obtained by the Sun-Times through the Freedom of Information Act. This happened before the Chicago Public Schools system changed its policy on attendance records. That means for the thousands of students competing for 353 open seats, consideration was supposed to be based on test scores, grades, and students’ attendance when they were in seventh grade.
Mike Schrimpf, spokesman for Rauner’s gubernatorial campaign, told the Sun-Times that Rauner’s daughter “was admitted off the principal’s list, the same way many students have been admitted.”
Data shows that even by that measure, it’s an elite crowd.
Fewer than .0014 percent of Payton students were allowed in through principal discretion that year. […]
A source with specific knowledge of the admission told the Sun-Times that Rauner’s daughter was not a so-called “principal pick” but was let in following a phone call.
And he didn’t just write one check to the school. He also wrote a half million dollar check to the Chicago Public Schools Foundation.
* Also from the Sun-Times…
Here are the largest donations the Rauner Family Foundation has made between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2011. The foundation had assets of $50.7 million as of the end of 2011.
1. $500,000 to Donors Trust, Alexandria, Va., 2011
* From the Donors Trust “Building a legacy for liberty” website…
The founders of DonorsTrust recognized the need for philanthropic resources and services to help donors effectively manage their charitable giving. Moreover, it was clear to them that there was no infrastructure dedicated to a nationwide community of liberty-minded donors and organizations.
DonorsTrust was established as the sole donor-advised plan dedicated to promoting a free society and serving donors who share that purpose. To date, DonorsTrust has received over $400 million from these donors who are both dedicated to liberty and to the cause of perpetuating a free and prosperous society through philanthropic means. Since inception, DonorsTrust has granted out over $300 million to over 1000 liberty-minded charities.
From the Donors Trust FAQ page…
I need to reduce the capital gains tax liability associated with my appreciated stock, closely held stock, or unexpected windfall. Can DonorsTrust help?
Appreciated Stock
You own appreciated stock and want to distribute it to a number of charities and avoid the capital gains tax. Make one transfer of stock to DonorsTrust and receive the market value for your gift. Then at your leisure, request DonorsTrust to distribute multiple gifts from the transfer.
* From The Independent…
A secretive funding organisation in the United States that guarantees anonymity for its billionaire donors has emerged as a major operator in the climate “counter movement” to undermine the science of global warming, The Independent has learnt.
The Donors Trust, along with its sister group Donors Capital Fund, based in Alexandria, Virginia, is funnelling millions of dollars into the effort to cast doubt on climate change without revealing the identities of its wealthy backers or that they have links to the fossil fuel industry.
However, an audit trail reveals that Donors is being indirectly supported by the American billionaire Charles Koch who, with his brother David, jointly owns a majority stake in Koch Industries, a large oil, gas and chemicals conglomerate based in Kansas.
Millions of dollars has been paid to Donors through a third-party organisation, called the Knowledge and Progress Fund, with is operated by the Koch family but does not advertise its Koch connections.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:13 am:
=== Fewer than .0014 percent of Payton students were allowed in through principal discretion that year. ===
Is this a fancy way of saying only 1 of the 353 students was allowed in through principal discretion that year?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:15 am:
You folks just don’t get it. Billionaires go through the front door. Just how it works. Your ordinary run of the mill garden variety clout heavy millionaire goes through the back door.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:16 am:
This is the “First Wave”…
You hammer him on going “heavy clout” with Duncan, you hammer him on a suburban kid taking a seat, you hammer him that she was denied (hits ‘Pause’key)
To the Daughter’s reason for not getting accepted..,
Baron Von Carhartt, until you release those docs, saying a long illness was THE reason is utterly weak without actually showing such…. “Signed, ‘Epstein’s Mother’…”
You get no pass without full - FULL disclosure on the reason.
(Hits ‘Play’…”)
You hammer at every event Baron Von Carhartt refuses to attend, and the empty chair, podium, table…
Drape a Payton Prep T-shirt over THAT chair, podium, whatever… and a sign, white, red letters hanging over with one word, block letters…
“PAID”
Only as good as you reinforce.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:19 am:
It’s almost as if Rauner doesn’t understand that his money makes him the ultimate insider. I’m beginning to wonder if he doesn’t realize that for 99.9% of parents, Arne Duncan never ever takes that phone call.
Anyway, it appears that Rauner is going to make the Ironic Scale explode by the end of this.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:20 am:
I’ll tell you what was wrong with it. She could have just gone to New Trier. You know, that really really good school in the district where she and Bruce actually live. I’ll bet whoever it was who didn’t get in to Payton because he got his daughter in didn’t get to go to New Trier.
- Toure's Latte - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:22 am:
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
- Toure's Latte - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:24 am:
“The smell, you know that gasoline smell. Smelled like [sniffing, pondering] the Illinois GOP primaries.”
- walker - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:25 am:
Tax avoidance, charitable deductions, anonymity, and support for right-wing political activity — all in one package for the very wealthy.
This is the worst kind of corruption in America.
“Boss Tweed-style corruption” is nothing compared to “Koch-style corruption” in damaging our governmental and political processes.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:25 am:
BTW, The “3″…
Bruce Rauner called Clouting his denied New Trier living daughter, and the whole episode “Baloney”
Again.
On camera.
“It’s Baloney”
As to the “2PACS”, take that “Baloney” on camera with Jay Levine, and “make it famous”
Go get ‘em!
- Budget Watcher - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:26 am:
Less than .0014 percent doesn’t equate to even one student. Someone might want to rethink their math.
- thechampaignlife - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:26 am:
=== Fewer than .0014 percent of Payton students were allowed in through principal discretion that year. ===
Do they understand that .0014% is mathematically .000014? At that level, if only 1 student was admitted off the principal’s list, there must be over 70,000 students at that school.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:34 am:
“Bruce Rauner cares about kids.
(Cut to Jay Levine interview)
‘Thats Baloney’
Sorry, Bruce Rauner cares about his kid, denying a worthy kid a chance to attend Payton Prep, and paying $750,000 (flash word ‘Clout’ and $750,000) after a Rich Daley appointee got HIS kid, in over other kids.
Bruce Rauner wants to stop ‘ Pay to Play’
(Cut to Jay Levine interview again)
“That’s Baloney”
You’re right Bruce, you are full of Baloney”
- Great Caesar's Ghost - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:40 am:
Didn’t Rauner also buy an expensive condo so he/his daughter could qualify as a city resident? Or did he already own that property when the request was made?
- Samurai - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:43 am:
Good to see Dillard come out of the corner swinging hard on these issues. Do Dillard’s statements violate the Reagan 11th commandment, “thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican?”
- Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:45 am:
Rauner is a fat cat who wants to be treated like a big shot.
Is Rauner interested in making government work better for regular people?
No. He wants to make it work better for his 1%er buddies.
- MrCR - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:46 am:
Of course Bruce sets up a ’special interview’ to ‘clear the air.’ Too bad he could not do it in front of his opponents today at the Daily Harold Forum. But what else can you expect? #RaunerRules
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:47 am:
- Great Caesar’s Ghost -,
I have asked that question. My hope is that thick OR file has dates of sale.
Someone “knows”, like the exemptions for multiple houses, like “who applied and when”
It’s a narrative told with numerous chapters, but a narrative needs to continue, not be spotty.
I heard Bill Brady on the radio this morning keeping the heat on.
Good on the Brady Crew. No comfort for Rauner’s Camp. Pressure, pressure, pressure. With 8 weeks left and “2PACS” gearing up, don’t take the foot off the gas.
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:49 am:
And Duncan’s role in this incident was…what? He had to take the phone call? What advice did he give BR and did he do anything else? He is the US Secy of Ed now, right? If we aren’t going to put this little scandal to bed pretty soon, we can hardly ignore Duncan’s possible role while continuing to beat up on BR.
Then there is the important question. Why aren’t all Chicago public schools as good as Payton Prep. Or at least a lot closer in quality. I presume most Chicago public schools/charters would not have Rauner or his ilk beating at their doors for admission. And, for the kids, that the real problem.
- Montrose - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:50 am:
I think there are a lot of parallels between what Rauner did and this piece on “life hacking”. This lens helps you see why so many people are bothered by his actions.
https://medium.com/get-bullish/a5e5f4e9132f
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:51 am:
- Samurai -,
That is part of the narrative;
Clouts with Daley appointees, vacations with Rahm Emanuel and his family, at his ranch, donates to DNC, Ed Rendell, Rahm, Daley, votes for Forrest Claypool…
Is that an ILGOP Nominee in the making?
Part and parcel of the next 8 weeks.
- veritas - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:53 am:
Samurai: He isn’t speaking ill of another Republican. He is speaking ill of Rauner.
Even if Rauner was a Republican - a sentiment open to doubt - Rauner set the rules by funding the unwarranted and needless attacks on Aaron Schock. He challenged the others to take off the gloves as he had the “ammo” - the money.
- Great Caesar's Ghost - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:56 am:
Here’s a link from the Daily Herald on exemptions:
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130329/news/703299932/print/
And another on his residency:
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130424/BLOGS02/130429892/bruce-rauner-clouted-kid-into-payton-high-school-sources-say#
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:07 pm:
–“There’s nothing to apologize for that, there’s nothing wrong with it, and I would do it again and again,” he tells CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine in a one-on-one interview.–
What a vulgar sense of entitlement.
Rauner and his kid were residents of Winnetka. They were not eligible, must less entitled, to a slot at Payton. What he did was illegal, with the connivance of the corrupt Daley administration.
By the time Rauner called Duncan, he had contributed at least $200K to Richard Daley, Duncan’s boss, according to ISBE.
Duncan doesn’t take that call without the $200K. Rauner doesn’t get his way without that $200K. It’s pay-to-play at its essence.
Rauner could have sent his kid to New Trier or any excellent private school. If he wanted to cheat his way in to CPS, he could have sent his kid to Rauner College Prep (apparently, that charter isn’t good enough for him).
Instead, as a corrupt insider, he used his money to cheat his way in and deprive a deserving kid who played by the rules a chance.
It’s despicable, contemptuous of the law, and he’d “do it again and again.”
That’s all you need to know about this guy. But there’s more. And it’s coming.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:07 pm:
“There’s nothing to apologize for that, there’s nothing wrong with it, and I would do it again and again,”
Yeah, because the rules don’t apply to Rauner and his wealthy political friends. He just gave the definition of clout.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:16 pm:
“My name is Suzy Student.
I graduated from Rauner Prep in 2012. I could have been a graduate of Payton Prep, but Bruce Rauner, the founder of MY school, got his own daughter in Payton Prep’s Freshmen class over loads of kids like me, even though his daughter was denied first.
Thank you Bruce Rauner for my school, but shame on you for denying me the education your daughter got from your clout.
- Fed up - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:17 pm:
Duncan doesn’t take that call without the $200K. Rauner doesn’t get his way without that $200K. It’s pay-to-play at its essence.
In no way defending Rauner hope he loses bad but, Ald Beale used the same Clout route to get his daughter in to Whitney Young when she wasn’t qualified but that’s no big deal. At least the schools made money off Rauner.
- Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:19 pm:
The top priority for Rauner’s “charitable” contributions is to pay aspiring Republican activists to spread the word about the blessings of low taxes.
Feel the compassion!
- langhorne - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:19 pm:
you might be a special interest insider if:
–you live in winnetka (show mansion) and your daughter can attend new trier (one of the best schools in the country), but you
–buy a condo in chgo (show condo bldg) so your daughter can claim residency, to go to
–payton prep (show school)even tho she was not qualified, bec you called arne duncan (pic) to jump ahead of thousands of other applicants
–and say thank you w a $250,000 check (suntimes)
“There’s nothing to apologize for that, there’s nothing wrong with it, and I would do it again and again,”
- haverford - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:28 pm:
Rich, question of the day suggestion: what’s your best #RaunerRules?
I feel like this is a hashtag even CapFax commenters can get behind.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:30 pm:
So, how is Bruce Rauner calling Arne Duncan to get his daughter into Payton Prep not the same as a constituent calling their State Senator to look into a U of I admissions issue?
Answer: When you call your State Senator, you are not guaranteed admission.
- Susiejones - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:40 pm:
Rauner is oblivious to how “the people” of Illinois actually live. I pray “the people” voting in the Republican primary–people like me–realize this guy is NOT who we want as our nominee or our Governor. Clueless is putting it mildly when it comes to this guy. I hate it when candidates think their money makes them the best candidate–we’ve been down this path too many times and “the people” got it right then, so I hope they are paying attention now!
- Meanderthal - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:43 pm:
Wait until the list comes out of all the kids the Psat Quinn and his brother clouted into Fenwick to play basketball over the years. That one will be a doozy.
- Original Rambler - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:45 pm:
Perhaps Rauner arranged for a city student to be admitted to New Trier in exchange!?!
BTW, isn’t Rod serving 14 years for conduct similar to Duncan? “I’ve got this Payton Prep admission and it’s effin’ golden!”
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:51 pm:
–Wait until the list comes out of all the kids the Psat Quinn and his brother clouted into Fenwick to play basketball over the years–
LOL, Fenwick is a private school.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:51 pm:
Fenwick is a private Catholic school.
Please, learn.
- Meanderthal - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 12:52 pm:
I know. I went there.
- olddog - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 1:27 pm:
There’s another angle here, too, and it’s not going to go away as long as Rauner pretends to be an advocate of school reform.
I’ll put it in very general terms because I’m not comfortable with the way Rauner dragged his daughter into this political swamp: Schools have admission policies for a reason, and when a kid is denied admission it reflects a professional assessment of the best interest of: (1) the child; (2) the other students; and (3) the teachers who have to continually adapt their lesson plans to reach children with different skills, talents and background knowledge in the same classroom. Teachers struggle with it every day – how do you keep the bright kids challenged while you’re giving the less gifted kids the extra help they need to get up to speed? Where do you find the time to give a kid who’s in over his head the individual attention he needs without taking away from the others?
So when a less qualified kid is clouted into a competitive school, it doesn’t just hurt the kid who was denied a place. It hurts everybody. And in the case of a self-styled “education reformer” like Rauner, it shows his contempt for so-called “union bosses” extends to rank-and-file teachers and the children in their classrooms.
- jerry 101 - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 1:50 pm:
Hmmm…interesting. Donors Trust put over $300k into the Illinois Policy Institute in 2011.
http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/522/522166327/522166327_201112_990.pdf
The Donor’s Capital Fund gave nearly a million to the Heartland Institute in 2011 as well, as well as about $150k to the Illinois Policy Institute.
http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/541/541934032/541934032_201112_990.pdf
- Great Caesar's Ghost - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 1:54 pm:
Btw, When did Rauner change his residence back to Winnetka? Before or after his daughter completed her schooling?
- jerry 101 - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 1:56 pm:
Something else seems to be lost here. Rauner hates the teachers union and teachers union bosses so much, but he clouts his kid into a Payton Prep, which is a normal (albeit selective admission) CPS school.
Presumably unionized.
I realize New Trier is likely unionized as well, but apparently Mr. Rauner wouldn’t trust his daughter’s education to an non-union school?
Oh, and if you look through the Rauner Family Foundation’s history, it also appears that the Rauner’s give a lot of money to liberal environmental organizations.
This guy’s politics seem a bit bizarre to me.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:02 pm:
Rauner’s address? Changes?
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130924/BLOGS02/130929892?template=mobile
Wonder if Bruce Rauner, for those 4 years had a Chicago address for his drivers license?
Tax returns were Winnetka.
You have 9 houses, you clout your denied New Trier Daughter into a Chicago Union Public School, addresses can be confusing.
Wonder if you can check the Secretary of State’s Office on license address changes? Wonder if CPS checked that million dollar condo for actual residency of the Denied Daughter?
Wonder if anyone had these thoughts too?
Hmmm…
- veritas - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:20 pm:
O.W.: Give Rauner a break on residences. He has NINE to keep track of!! He at least got the state right.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
Willy:
As long as you are piling on, it is worth noting that Walter Payton epitomized hard work and fair play.
Bruce Rauner owes fans everywhere an apology for disgracing the Payton name.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:37 pm:
Didn’t Rauner have two condos at that East Randolph address? What’s up with that? One for the help?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:42 pm:
The Payton name and the greatness of Sweetness should not even be discussed. Unfortunately, the school, has the name here and Bruce Rauner’s namesake school is unscathed.
Sad.
I have, I think a total of 6 pairs of shoes (less my golf shoes) and keeping track of 6 pairs of shoes is tough. I really need to have sympathy for someone keeping track of 9 houses.
My bad.
- Stern's Turn - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:47 pm:
OW-
Why would a guy who never leaves his computer need more than one pair of shoes.
(Rimshot!)
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:48 pm:
For a guy who used to describe himself as a “rabid environmentalist”, that Donor’s Trust gift is more than a bit odd.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 2:54 pm:
- Stern’s Turn -,
I am on a cell phone at times, you just don’t know that. However, some of my spelling “errors” or missing “I’s” or words kinda make that obvious.
If I am at the “home office” - the 1960s - 1970s leather slippers/loafers with wool inners. You should get a pair, “high society”. Bruce has two pairs at each house!
- cod - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 3:05 pm:
I am really troubled when children of politicians are brought into the public eye by partisan attacks. It is hard enough to be a teenager. How will Rauner’s child deal with the ugly publicity this has created among her future classmates? A dad made a mistake doing the best he could for his child. Let it be. This ruthless line of political attack should be entirely off limits. It’s not as if Rauner has any shortage of other things to be criticized for that do not involve children as collateral damage.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 3:10 pm:
- cod -,
The Denied Daughter has graduated, and could very well be living in the Dartmouth form named Rauner Hall.
College breaks? Got 9 houses to go to.
Bruce Rauner’s “Baloney” responses, and making it about anything but clout through a Rich Daley appointee is the story, not the Daughter.
She got denied, she was from the New Trier school district, and graduated. The rest is Baron Von Carhartt and how he is playing this, so check with PPC.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 3:13 pm:
Dorm.
Also, could be studying at the Rauner Library.
I don’t worry too much about her, how about you feel bad for an opportunity lost to a Chicago worthy child that was denied by Bruce Rauner and his Clouting?
- PolPal56 - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 3:40 pm:
cod, your comment made me realize that in the eight or nine months I’ve been hanging out here, I don’t recall anyone ever mentioning Brucie’s daughter’s name. Unless it really is “Payton Prep Denied” (”Clouted” is apparently her nickname. - wave to OW!)
That’s pretty dang impressive, showing much greater class and restraint than any news organization!
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 3:49 pm:
Credit to Rich, running a first class place, and credit to all of us, for knowing better.
The Clouting is the issue. Period.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 3:57 pm:
WS - “But there’s more. And it’s coming.”
Pray tell to what are you referring Wordslinger?
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 4:07 pm:
” for 99.9% of parents, Arne Duncan never ever takes that phone call.” Wouldn’t that be 99.9986%?
- Endangered Moderate Species - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 4:15 pm:
===This ruthless line of political attack should be entirely off limits.===
Rauner spent a lot of ad money in the month of December attacking union members, government employees, political insiders and his Republican opponents. Rauner cast the first stones in this fight.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 4:38 pm:
“Rauner cast the stones first in this fight.”
You got that right, and the same can be said about the others who cry about class warfare when the people they attack fight back.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 4:42 pm:
-the 1960s/1970s leather slippers/loafers with wool inners-
Lol, Willy, wearing mine right now!
To the post, no one here is criticizing Rauner’s child, even though he “made it personal” for many of us last month. We’re bashing him for going above and beyond what regular parents are able to do for their kids.
- olddog - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 4:44 pm:
@ cod — you really don’t get it? Or are you just dusting off Sarah Palin’s old talking points?
Rauner thrust his daughter into this controversy by being such a vocal critic in public of the same schools he was accepting little favors from in private. And he doesn’t seem to be learning from his mistakes. What possessed him to go blathering about her middle school records in that interview with CBS2?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 4:54 pm:
- AA -,
Usually I have baby blue pajamas on, with a red velour robe over, and a lily white flying scarf on with my slippers, sipping 14 year old Scotch (14 years min.!) and a pipe, filled with the finest tobacco of the world…
Or maybe not, I don’t know.
To the Post,
“Residency checks”, they FOI-able?
Is that part of the private student record?
Going to refill the Scotch and the Pipe..,
- foster brooks - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 4:56 pm:
rauner will say and do anything to win the top prize, next week he will declare SB 1 was too harsh.
- Just The Way It Is One - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 5:49 pm:
That miniscule % of how many students were allowed into a School like Payton speaks volumes on its’ own. And yet now we read from a reportely reliable source with specific knowledge that the daughter very well may inSTEAD have ACtually been “let in following a phone call” and NOT via the .0014 route in the Principal’s discretion after ALL…! And YET, haughty Bruce not only doesn’t acknowledge even a smidge of why people would be rightfully/understandably inCENSED about what he did and how he did it, but, to boot, Rauner even passionately insists he would do it “again and again” this way! UNbelievable–the nerve of this guy! Sheez…talk about deaf, dumb, and blind. I can’t, even in my most sickening dreams, fathom this dude running our Beloved Home State…!
- Chris - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 5:56 pm:
“Do they understand that .0014% is mathematically .000014?”
Obviously not.
“Is this a fancy way of saying only 1 of the 353 students was allowed in through principal discretion that year?”
No. It’s an innumerate way to show one’s innumeracy. 1 in 353 would be .2833%. *IF* the author meant to use “.14% of students at Payton in 08-09) instead (ie, .14% of ~900 kids), and imply that only 2 kids over 4 years got in by principal’s discretion, (1) I don’t believe it’s that low and (2) the percentage is still wrong–each kid out of 900 = ~.11%. For just the class of 353, it’s each kid =~.28%.
For the *actual* class size of 234 (yes, that is the *accurate* number of kids who were freshmen at Payton in 08-09), each one of the kids was .43% of the class–so, even if the author had meant to use .14% instead of .0014%, the author was *still* wrong by at least a factor of 3. And that’s assuming no other PD picks, which I *still* do not believe. Much more likely, there were 3 PD picks, which then does work out to “less than” 1.4%–or, perhaps, 5, which is ‘about’ 1.4% of the 353 number (or 2.1% of the real class size).
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 6:37 pm:
- Chris -,
My head hurts. Did you carry the 7 and multiply by Pi?
This could easily be solved if CPS was forced to release this info.
Won’t happen, and no way will Rauner release either.
- Almost the Weekend - Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:25 pm:
OW I love these commercial ideas. If no other GOP candidate has the money I would not be surprised to see PQ’s campaign run these.
- Chris - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:48 am:
“Did you carry the 7 and multiply by Pi?”
Seems like the author must have.
Anyone citing the numbers included in that article should be considered innumerate. They are soooo far from accurate as to be an embarrassment.
- Chris - Wednesday, Jan 15, 14 @ 11:58 am:
ps: The graphic attached to the story sez how many got in on PD in 2008.
Was that number 1? No.
Was it 3? No.
Was it 5? No.
Ok, what was it? 13.
Yes, *thirteen* kids got in on PD. 13 out of 234 (which is from the CPS 20-day attendance number–the 353 number is BS).
So, really, 5.5% of the ‘08 frosh at Payton got in by ‘calling the principal’.
Still, only *1* got in by calling Arne. And, still, what bothers me more is that she was from Winnetka, not that her dad called Arne. If Penny Pritzker did the same thing, it wouldn’t bother me as much–her kids live in the city.