Published In Fairfax County Journal - Feb 03

THE WASHINGTON TIMES article on February 18, 2003 by George Archibald stated "… Communities That Care (CTC), which developed the youth survey used in more than 400 communities nationwide to collect personal information from students to help local governments justify federal and foundation grant applications, said Michael G. Bete, president of Channing Bete Co., a Massachusetts firm that devised the data-gathering program." These words from the president of this company put into question the credibility of the entire survey. It also reveals the true purpose of the survey – to help justify federal and foundation grant requests to get money for localities. In fact one of the justifications stated to the School Board last Thursday night was the large amount of grant money that had been received due to the prior survey. According to the article the company promotional packet states, "New York state's program to reduce marijuana and other drug use by 12- to 17-year-olds has generated $3 million in state funds." Not that it reduced teen drug use, but that it generated funds. As a member of the School Health Advisory Committee, I have attended numerous briefings on this survey. Not only does this firm provide the questions, they also provide the data analysis. This is the same conflict of interest that brought down Arthur Anderson when they were both consulting and auditing. This company is consulting on how to get grant money using the survey and then provides the numbers needed to justify the grant request. The worse the results, the more grant money the customer (Fairfax County) will be able to justify. Whether intentional or not the perception of a conflict of interest is huge when the president of the company defines their mission as "to help local governments justify federal and foundation grant applications." Any results from this survey is suspect. $60,000 wasted.

Steve Hunt

School Board Candidate

Springfield Magisterial District