Alderman solicits money from "friends and supporters" to pay daughter's college fees

[pbear19]

What say you, GC?

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...75487d18f.html

http://www.ksdk.com/dontmiss/383755/...y?sf13619699=1

This blew up in my FB and twitter feeds yesterday. I echo pretty much everyone else that I've talked to: If they can't afford the school, she should take out loans or go to a cheaper school. The letter itself can be found in the first link. Totally inappropriate!

[angels&angles]

I agree. It MIGHT be different if he were soliciting for someone else's kid--someone with difficult circumstances (poverty, illness, disability) but it seems super desperate to do this for his own child. That's completely ignoring that he holds a public office (I'm not completely sure what an alderman is? I originally thought something to do with a church but context makes it look like that's incorrect?)

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by pbear19

What say you, GC?

That higher education should be affordable for everyone.

[FSUZeta]

I think aldermen are similar to city councilmen.

Higher Education wasn't necessarily not affordable for this family-they just couldn't afford the private, out of state college that daughter wanted to attend. Staying in state might have been do-able.

When the Alderman used his title to solicit money to fund his daughter's education, he stepped over the line.

[angels&angles]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

That higher education should be affordable for everyone.

Also a good point.

[pbear19]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

I agree. It MIGHT be different if he were soliciting for someone else's kid--someone with difficult circumstances (poverty, illness, disability) but it seems super desperate to do this for his own child. That's completely ignoring that he holds a public office (I'm not completely sure what an alderman is? I originally thought something to do with a church but context makes it look like that's incorrect?)

Sorry, I wasn't thinking that aldermen aren't terribly common. He is a city legislator, essentially. I believe the comparison to a city councilman is fitting.

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

That higher education should be affordable for everyone.

Does that mean that everyone should be able to choose to go to a $40,000/year school? There are MANY options that cost much, much less.

[Missouri Ivy]

I guess there's nothing wrong with asking, but also, when I went to school, I chose the more affordable state school instead of the private school that would have left me with a ton of loans to pay off. But if people want to contribute to her education, that's up to them. I'd be kind of embarrassed though if my dad did that.

[honeychile]

When I was in school, there was a Tri Delta whose father was a state senator. I jokingly asked her if she had a senatorial scholarship (a big thing in PA). She replied, "I don't think that would look very good at all!"

I guess that point of view has gone by the wayside?

[Kevin]

It looks like blatant public corruption to me.

[JayhawkAOII]

Saying this as a City of St. Louis resident and a former City employee, Alderman Bosley is an embarrassment. He is notoriously difficult to get along with, and this isn't the first brush with "scandal" that his family has experienced. His son, who is also a former mayor, is embroiled in a scandal about property that was sold to the St. Louis History Museum at three times its value with no appraisal.

Alderman Bosley is a joke in St. Louis, and crap like this makes us (St. Louis residents) look like a bunch of weirdos.