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State Controller Malia Cohen to Chair State Task Force on Charter School Audits

California State Controller Malia Cohen announced last week that she will chair a “statewide multi-agency task force charged with developing audit criteria and best practices for identifying and preventing fraud in charter schools.”

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Malia Cohen. Photo courtesy California Black Media.
Malia Cohen. Photo courtesy California Black Media.

By Tanu Henry and Joe W. Bowers Jr. 
California Black Media

California State Controller Malia Cohen announced last week that she will chair a “statewide multi-agency task force charged with developing audit criteria and best practices for identifying and preventing fraud in charter schools.”

San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert Longstreth formed the task force after the state charged 11 defendants — including a school superintendent — for defrauding taxpayers of nearly $400 million by enrolling fictitious students in A3 Education, an online charter school, to collect state funds to educate each student.

Cohen says the leading defendants in the case, Sean McManus and Jason Schrock, have agreed to turn over all the assets of A3 Education and its subsidiaries to the state — and $215 million which will be put back in the “state’s coffers.”

“As the State’s chief fiscal officer and the office responsible for developing audit guidelines to be followed by auditors when auditing school district, I could not in good conscience allow this matter to proceed through the judicial system without offering my office’s assistance in drafting guidelines to detect and prevent a recurrence of this untenable situation,” said Cohen. “To do otherwise would be to neglect the confidence placed in my office to safeguard taxpayers’ dollars.”

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of November 13 – 19, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 13 – 19, 2024

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Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

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Black History

California Leaders Pay Tribute to Quincy Jones

On Nov. 4, the celebrated life of music producer Quincy Delight Jones came to an end at his home in Bel Air. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Jones leaves behind a rich legacy of music and achievements that spans 70 plus years. His impact on multiple genres of music as well as his contributions to art and education will have a lasting impact.

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Quincy Jones. UCLA Digital Library.
Quincy Jones. UCLA Digital Library.

By Reginald S. Webb Jr.

California Black Media

On Nov. 4, the celebrated life of music producer Quincy Delight Jones came to an end at his home in Bel Air.

The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Jones leaves behind a rich legacy of music and achievements that spans 70 plus years. His impact on multiple genres of music as well as his contributions to art and education will have a lasting impact.

“Quincy Jones brought the world endless joy with his optimistic spirit and colossal imagination. Not a day goes by without hearing a masterpiece that Quincy produced or hearing about the good he created with his generous heart,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Jen and I — and all of California — mourn the loss of this great humanitarian and artist.”

Jones was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago. By 10 years old, Jones’s family relocated to Bremerton, Washington where he met his first formal music mentor, Robert Blackwell, a well-known arranger, bandleader, song writer, and producer. He was a vital part of Quincy’s growth as a musician.

In 1951, Jones earned a scholarship to study music at Seattle University. After a semester there, he transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston. His stay at this college was short-lived because he left to tour with the jazz percussionist and bandleader Lionel Hampton.

“I’m deeply saddened to learn of Quincy Jones’ passing. His talent and resilience led him to not only break barriers but become one of the most successful producers of all time, touching countless lives through music,” said Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager (D-CA-37).  “We’ll miss my fellow Chicagoan-turned-Angeleno.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Jones “broke barriers in an industry that had long worked to exclude artists that looked like him.”

“Quincy Jones brought laughter, celebration, happiness and joy into the homes of millions. As a musician, composer, producer, and arranger, he changed our culture, and he changed our world,” added Bass.

Film scoring led to another trailblazing moment for Quincy Jones. He became the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for best original film score in 1967 for In Cold Blood. The same year he was also nominated for best original song for, The Eyes of Love, from a film titled Banning.

“He was unmatched in the creativity of his many productions. I will never forget how he worked with me to present Nelson Mandela, where 90 thousand people showed up at the Los Angeles Coliseum following his release from prison in South Africa. Quincy Jones will never be forgotten,” remembers Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43).

Over his career, Jones received 80 Grammy nominations and won 28 of them. He released 16 studio jazz albums, 24 soundtracks albums, three live albums, and four compilation albums.

1n 2011, President Barack Obama honored Jones with the National Medal of Arts.

Jones is survived by his seven children and six grandchildren.

“Jones has provided a soundtrack to the best moments of so many lives – and to the deepest movements of change in this country. Our city is forever bettered by his gifts. We celebrate his life, and we mourn this loss,” Bass paid tribute to Jones.

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