All in the family

What a coincidence! You know that Texas contractor that's charging $61 million to "oversee" the platinum-plating of the rapidly fading Portland public schools? Guess who their new office manager is. Just guess.

Time's up! Answer here. It's the school superintendent's daughter.

Ever Portland Polite™, the milquetoasts at the O do not name said daughter. Because of course, it's all a coincidence! (The Daily Mail reports that "public records indicate [Armstrong] has one daughter named Kalynn Hedrick." And there are photos, of course.)

So many coincidences. The contractor, Procedeo, landed its fat contract at a tense and emotional school board meeting on December 2, as recounted here. The super was a big supporter. The office manager job her daughter got was posted three days later.

When asked about the matter, Armstrong suggested that critics should stop asking questions. 

“It is kind of crazy to me, this deep-dive fixation on Procedeo,” she said. “Everyone seems to be concerned about this Texas-based firm. I am just trying to do what is best for kids, and get buildings built, and cooled, and heated and bring as many facilities up to date as we can. All the noise about who these people are and what they are doing seems to me to be unnecessary.”

Now everybody close your eyes and put your head down on your desk.