School superintendent with LaSalle (LA) doctorate gets raise after controversy

Today's Fall River Herald News reports that Somerset Mass. school superintendent Stephen Furtado, who was earlier asked to resign by a school board member because of his LaSalle University (Louisiana) doctorate, was given a raise. The article is at http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4082979&BRD=1710&PAG=461&dept_id=99784&rfi=8.

The report on the call for Mr. Furtado's resignation is at
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4070091&BRD=1710&PAG=461&dept_id=99784&rfi=6.

 

Interesting, since this is the pre-1997 diploma mill rather than the post-1997 unaccredited LaSalle about which one could expect some debate.

 

He should have attended any of the DL Regionally Accredited Schools such as Nova, University of Sarasota (Now Argosy), Walden, etc.

 

I agree that was not the only program available in 1996. Either get an accredited doctorate or don't pretend you have one. There is nothing wrong with being smart and capable and NOT having a doctorate.

North

 

I find this doubly ironic...Massachusetts has one of the nation's toughest school licensing laws, probably second only to Oregon, and we also have probably more RA schools per square mile than any other state. There are many, many RA schools in Massachusetts where he could have earned a legitimate doctorate, never mind the legitimate DL options.


Bruce

 

<There are many, many RA schools in Massachusetts where he could have earned a legitimate doctorate, never mind the legitimate DL options.>


Yeah and really cheap tuition in New England too!
Whats the average cost per sem. hour? 9 billion dollars a credit?

 

Actualy UMass-Amherst's rate of $1400 for 3 credits is below average for major Uni fess (see: US News e-learning)

 

Actually, state resident tuition at UMass is very reasonable, well below what Capella, Union, and Walden charge.

However, with Harvard, Tufts, BU, and BC in the mix, your point is well taken!

 

I think what troubles me the most about these articles is that it appears that the reporter has done very little research into LaSalle. Articles like these could be an opportunity to educate the public about accreditation issues. And this is not only a problem with the Fall River Herald News- the Los Angeles Times did a similarly poor job explaining different types of accreditation in its articles on Todd Saldana.

I fear that casual readers (as opposed to degreeinfo.com denizens) will not understand that there are differences between RA and non-RA institutions.

 

I'll go one step further. I'm disappointed when a news article refers to an operation like Columbia State as "unaccredited." It sounds like a real school operating without the blessing of some agency, as opposed to the degree mill it was. When they do that, it sounds as if there really was a school called "Columbia State University," instead of the mail-forwarding service and printing press that made up the essential components of the operation.

 

Pathetic.

Public schools are supposed to instill, among other things, the value of integrity in the kids they teach.

How can a school POSSIBLY, with a straight face, raise any objection if a student cheats or deceives in order to earn a higher grade or pass a test if their chief operating officer holds a totally fraudulent doctorate?

Yes, yes, I know the argument about the doctorate not being required, but having a fake one sends the totally wrong message to the students.

Oh, and "in the process of being accredited"?

Right.

 

Interesting that both articles refer to LaSalle as a "discredited correspondence school." Interesting, because no one ever gave it any credit; how could it be discredited? And it was never a correspondence school. LaSalle didn't offer courses.

I would love to read his 130-page dissertation.

The idiots who defend him by saying they knew where his degrees were from are either lying or they're ignorant. Only an ignoramus would knowingly accept such a credential. What did he do, walk in, present his doctorate, and "I just want you all to know this isn't from an accredited school, blah, blah, blah?" And they accepted it?

As Chip notes, even if the degree isn't required for the position, this still matters. Presenting it as a real credential is fraudulent and untrustworthy behavior. The people who don't see that don't understand the difference between a misunderstanding and a lie.

 

I glad to see there are some smart high school students who appear knowledgable about phony qualifications.

 

Why would someone working in the educational system risk getting a fake degree and have his/her name tarnished. Although, he may consider completing a RA Doctoral in the near future, his name will still be mud.

He should know better!!!

 

La Salle is one of the few phonies about which one can use the term "diploma mill" without any fear of reprisal, since founder James (Thomas) Kirk (McPherson) pleaded guilty, following his indictment on 18 or 19 charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, tax fraud, and conspiracy, and went to federal prison (along with two of his co-conspirators).

However, as some La Salle alumni hasten to point out, it was a religious school in Louisiana at the time of the FBI action, and thus exempt from school licensing laws. Many alumni claimed they did not know that they were earning religious degrees and that in signing their application form, they were becoming ministers of the World Christian Church. This was stated in the small type, which was probably read about as often as people read the back of car rental forms.

The small type also pointed out that all degrees, whether in business, psychology, education, physics or whatever, were in fact religious degrees, and thus not subject to state regulation. Their argument was that since God created everything, the study of any academic subject is the study of His works. The Louisiana Supreme Court agreed with this interpretation, but the feds didn't buy it.

 

Yesterday's Herald News included an editorial on the Furtado controversy: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4115710&BRD=1710&PAG=461&dept_id=99784&rfi=8.

 

The tuition is not the problem... it's the fees that get you

U.Mass-Lowell for an undergrad state resident:

Tuition:$1,454.00
University Operating Fee: $2,725.00

Still a reasonable price IMO but do other state U's have such a lopsided breakdown? I can't think of any.

Pete

 

I would question someone's character or intellect for obtaining a degree mill doctorate and using the initials to be called "Dr.". Even in 1996 that was not his only choice by a long shot. Also, those astute high school students know it sends the wrong message. Maybe the guy did a great job with a M.A. and that is where he should have left it.

North