Audit Shows Federal Education Funds Misused by DC Officials
by Jim Brown
October 5, 2004
(AgapePress) - An audit of Washington, DC's State Education Office has uncovered criminal conduct by several employees.A report by DC auditor Deborah Nichols finds that state education officials spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on lavish out-of-town shopping trips and family visits unrelated to city business. The report also indicates the State Education Office misused grant money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that was intended to staff programs to feed schoolchildren from low-income DC families.
DC council member Phil Mendelson, who requested the audit, says the matter is not one to be taken lightly.
"Obviously the misuse of public dollars is criminal and should be prosecuted," Mendelson says. "But we have over 50,000 kids in the district who are eligible for these reduced cost or free meals. That's what this agency is responsible for delivering, and it wasn't doing it. That was, in my view, the real tragedy in all this."
Over the summer, Mendelson had called for the resignation of Cornelia Spinner, who was then the director of the State Education Office, citing under-performance of the federal child nutrition programs in the District. Even then, he admitted to having reached his "boiling point" over the matter. It seems his concerns have been validated by the auditor's report.
"There are kids out there who are eligible for free or reduced lunch, free or reduced breakfast, in order that they can go to school and have a decent shot at learning," he says. "They weren't getting it. I'm hopeful that now they're going to get it, [that] they're going to get that opportunity."
Mendelson says since those responsible for the corruption are no longer with the State Education Office, the agency is beginning to rebuild itself.
This is not the only scandal of late involving DC education officials. Last year, members of the Washington, DC, teachers union were indicted for stealing $5 million in teachers' dues to purchase luxury clothing, electronic equipment, and furniture.
