Let’s remember the original sin here: the 2019 superintendent search, done in secret, with only a single finalist winds up hiring a guy who had zero experience as a superintendent and who had serious personal financial issues. The board also lied about the search process as it was underway, saying they couldn’t reveal the finalist’s name…
Let’s remember the original sin here: the 2019 superintendent search, done in secret, with only a single finalist winds up hiring a guy who had zero experience as a superintendent and who had serious personal financial issues. The board also lied about the search process as it was underway, saying they couldn’t reveal the finalist’s name because he requested anonymity even though he was traveling all over the country at the time participating in public searches.
Like most people, I immediately googled Horton’s name when he was announced and the first hit that came up was the NBC report saying he owed tens of thousands of dollars to the City of Chicago for fines associated with his real estate side gig.
It wasn’t available on google at the time, but a simple background check would have picked up his bankruptcy filing. Although his transgressions did not stem from his work in school administration, they absolutely say something about his judgement and character. This is job where you have to oversee a multi million dollar budget.
Under a responsible board his application would have been rejected. Had his name been released prior to his hiring, there likely would have been an outcry due to his inexperience and character.
Consider his first bankruptcy. He bought 4 properties with mortgages, immediately doubled down on two of them and refinanced and then failed to make payments.
His second bankruptcy involved empty land he bought in the city, failed to maintain and then amassed a ton of fees on the property. Sounds familiar.
It was also common knowledge that he publicly was interviewing for several large public school Super jobs around the country and not getting them (red flag). He was turned down by Grand Rapids (Mich) public for not showing an interest in their large Hispanic population. Huge red flag.
Makes you really wonder who the other finalist was...or even any of the five they'd narrowed the pool down to back in January. @Tom I'm guessing there no way to find out who other candidates were retroactively through FOIA?
Let’s remember the original sin here: the 2019 superintendent search, done in secret, with only a single finalist winds up hiring a guy who had zero experience as a superintendent and who had serious personal financial issues. The board also lied about the search process as it was underway, saying they couldn’t reveal the finalist’s name because he requested anonymity even though he was traveling all over the country at the time participating in public searches.
Like most people, I immediately googled Horton’s name when he was announced and the first hit that came up was the NBC report saying he owed tens of thousands of dollars to the City of Chicago for fines associated with his real estate side gig.
It wasn’t available on google at the time, but a simple background check would have picked up his bankruptcy filing. Although his transgressions did not stem from his work in school administration, they absolutely say something about his judgement and character. This is job where you have to oversee a multi million dollar budget.
Under a responsible board his application would have been rejected. Had his name been released prior to his hiring, there likely would have been an outcry due to his inexperience and character.
Consider his first bankruptcy. He bought 4 properties with mortgages, immediately doubled down on two of them and refinanced and then failed to make payments.
His second bankruptcy involved empty land he bought in the city, failed to maintain and then amassed a ton of fees on the property. Sounds familiar.
Receipts:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17AONCBkdWQm0ihmxCnhy8zmWbONBg6IRbBmcykDRLd0/edit?gid=0#gid=0
This is the guy the Board trusted to bring a school back to the Fifth Ward? Tells you how much they care about the fifth ward.
It was also common knowledge that he publicly was interviewing for several large public school Super jobs around the country and not getting them (red flag). He was turned down by Grand Rapids (Mich) public for not showing an interest in their large Hispanic population. Huge red flag.
And that they literally did the same process again : a closed search that generated one finalist from the same failing school as Horton
Makes you really wonder who the other finalist was...or even any of the five they'd narrowed the pool down to back in January. @Tom I'm guessing there no way to find out who other candidates were retroactively through FOIA?