Minority businesses still missing out on school district contracts

Paulette Woods believes minority-owned businesses are not getting a fair share of school district contracts.

The issue kept board members working late into Wednesday night. Issues range from advertisements for contracts not being run in high-visibility minority newspapers to not enough recognition of the value of what some agencies can supply in the school buildings. In addressing the issue, Superintendent Kriner Cash says he pushes his staff to meet with minority operations, which he doesn't want to "feel ignored or dismissed or like they got no chance to get into the game."

Paulette Woods, though, was not satisfied. To her perspective, too many contracts are approved quickly and with little review. "I just went to the visit for the tour of the African-American Heritage Foundation. They are asking: How do we get into the game?," Woods said. 

"Because these things are important to the African-American community, to the self-image of its children. I want more access and we passed the rules and they're not following them."