Say you’re Steven Lawrence, the superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. And you and members of the district’s board are about to give a contract to one or more companies eager to cash in on the district’s voter-approved $68 million bond to develop solar energy to power the schools. Naturally, you think, “We could send it out for the standard bidding process, but on the other hand, Chevron’s right here. And they’re so smart and all.” Especially when Lawrence and three of his friends just happen to have scheduled a June golf weekend in Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village, where Chevron green energy official Jim Davis just happens to own a membership at the local golf resort, and can comp in the entourage. At least, so says Matt Krupnick, in an excellent piece by the Contra Costa Times. Read the whole thing, and ask yourself: a friggin’ golf weekend? That’s how cheap our school leaders are? We would have expected at least a little blow.
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