Porter-Leath Snags Head Start Contract
Source: BILL DRIES, The Memphis Daily News (TN), August 29, 2007
Shelby County Commissioners Monday approved a contract with Porter-LeathChildren's Center to provide Head Start services to 460 children.
........ The contract, authorized by an earlier County Commission and negotiated by County Mayor A C Wharton Jr., met fierce resistance from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the union that represents county employees who work at the Head Start centers now operated by county government. Those centers care for nearly 3,200 children.
....... Commissioner Mike Carpenter said the compromise "stinks."
"Shelby County Head Start is in good shape. That's not the argument here," he said, pointing out figures from the National Head Start Association that show only 6 percent of the country's Head Start programs are run by local governments. Most are run by non-profits similar to Porter-Leath.