Charlene Hardin Investigation

Milwaukee School Board member Charlene Hardin puts her hand over her heart during the Pledge of Allegiance at a meeting discussing the possibility of conducting an investigation into her behavior.

She appears so sincere and honorable. Looks can be deceiving.

It's possible that Hardin suffers from delusions.

She thinks that she's the victim of "a high-tech lynching and yellow journalism." She equates herself with the victims of slavery.

If that's not what she really thinks and Hardin isn't clinically delusional, she's spouting a pack of lies that she wants the taxpayers funding the Milwaukee Public Schools to believe.

Hardin has not led the life of a slave.

School Board member Charlene Hardin caught flak and the attention of investigators with her phantom Philadelphia trip earlier this year.

But that wasn't the first time she squandered tax dollars while jetting around the country.

Newly released records show that Hardin has traveled out of state seven times in the past 1 1/2 years, running up a tab of about $8,500 to visit schools and attend conventions in such places as Memphis, Tenn., Washington and Philadelphia.

While on one trip this year, she billed the cash-strapped Milwaukee Public Schools more than $400 to rent a Chrysler 300 Touring for two days. On another trip, she slept at a luxury hotel with a $400-plus daily rate.

But here is the most astonishing example of her free-spending ways:

In March, the veteran board member was hit with a nearly $300 penalty for lighting up cigarettes incessantly while staying at the smoke-free Marriott in Washington, D.C. Warned of the potential penalty, Hardin reportedly told a hotel manager to go ahead and stick the charge on her bill.

She then stiffed the Marriott, leaving without paying the surcharge.

"Slave" Charlene Hardin? Good grief.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A Milwaukee labor lawyer, Dan Vliet, was tapped by the Milwaukee School Board on Thursday to investigate whether board member Charlene Hardin violated the group's code of ethics in connection with a trip she took to Philadelphia in July.

The decision to investigate her conduct was made over the objection of Hardin, who took part in the meeting and who referred to news coverage of her travel as "a high-tech lynching and yellow journalism."

But board members voted 7 to 2 in favor of the investigation, with Michael Bonds joining Hardin in voting no.

The board then voted 9 to 0 to ask Vliet to handle the matter. He is an attorney in private practice who has advised the board in the past on how to handle discipline cases involving employees. Reached later, Vliet declined to comment.

Journal Sentinel columnist Daniel Bice first reported in August that Hardin and a secretary from the Milwaukee High School of the Arts went to Philadelphia for a conference about school safety, but never attended any of the sessions of the conference other than to briefly appear in the registration and hospitality areas. Hardin's trip cost more than $2,500, according to MPS records.

An investigation by the district attorney's office concluded that Hardin's conduct raised questions of incompetence but was not illegal.

Several School Board members said the air needed to be cleared by a report conducted by an independent authority. Tim Petersons, who initially asked for the investigation, said the board needed to let the community know that it took the public interest seriously when it came to spending money and the conduct of district leaders.

Hardin used the meeting to speak out publicly about her situation. She did not directly comment on the Philadelphia trip or other travel she has taken, but said, "I have always represented the board with pride and honor."

She said Thursday was the anniversary of the end of slavery after the Civil War. But, she said, "high-tech lynching and yellow journalism is still alive and well today."

She said the district attorney had concluded no crime was committed. She said there was no need to pursue the matter further.

"You must ask yourself if this is indeed in the best interest of our district," she said

An obviously angered Danny Goldberg said Hardin's comments provided even more reason why an investigation was necessary. He said it was "just absurd" to call what had been reported a "high-tech lynching."

"Two-thirds of us must decide if ethics matters in this case," Goldberg said, referring to the necessary majority to proceed.

Bonds said, "We could better use our time doing something else."

High-tech lynching?

Give me a break!

This investigation is nothing more than window dressing by the school board.

It needs to give the appearance that it's serious about the possible abuse of taxpayers' dollars.

I don't buy it.