Comments about ‘Legislative audit targets thefts from school districts’

Pilfer: to steal a small amount or item. One million dollars now is pilfering with everything going on in Washington!

Why give education more money when they are so irresponsible with the money given to them? Make them budget money and be responsible for money. The money they have thrown away, could be better spent on important projects and also demonstrates they do not need more money for education. The money can be given to Public safety where it will be more wisely used.

Yes, Richard, because we all know how evil those thieving teachers are and how saintly and honest all cops are.

:P

What they need to do is audit school districts on the administrative level.

There are no lines of accountabilty for them. Teachers do not get to evaluate them!! Once they become administrators they are considered golden and can do no wrong.

Make a mistake promote them to the district where they make a six figure salary and do little or nothing. Show up when they want, walk out of meetings etc..

Teachers are on the front lines and with cuts looming larger class size is sure to follow.

Yet, the powers that be refuse to cut administrators or combine positions and put some of them back in the classroom.

It is so sad!!

Richard: Following your line of reasoning, we should not fund law enforcement because they don't catch all criminals before they commit a crime. Bad people will try to get away with bad things. We stop most of them, and catch the few that do it anyway.

JoJo: School administrators have strong oversight... from elected School Boards. Utah spends a much smaller portion of the school dollar on administration than other states. If you spend time in our schools you will see how important Principals are and how much responsibility they carry.

RE:Richard and JoJo | 9:49 p.m. Jan. 31, 2009

Let me get this straight...since they have strong oversight from elected School Boards there is no corruption going on? WOW!!!

As per your post:
"Bad people will try to get away with bad things." Imagine that... high level corruption is at an all time high. Wall Street just handed out 18 Billion in bonuses and that money came from....where?

Quick Thinker: Tax payers!!

Talk about a bad line of reasoning.

I am willing to bet you think the world economy is in such bad shape because our elected officials are such good, honest, regulated people and the true, hard working people are to blame.

Now go back to your pretend world of school administration, read the paper and designate a counselor or VP to throw a few more kids in that History class of 47 students or more. When the bell rings instead of filling in because of the substitute teacher shortage close your door or head out to a meeting so as to look responsible!!

Telling others to spend time in schools when it sounds like you have none yourself is ridiculous.

You've all missed the boat. This article states that the thefts were from the school district foundations, not the districts. The foundations are charities set up by the districts to raise private money to give to the school districts. The Districts are audited by the State but the charities are not. Tax payer money is accounted for and closely monitored.

While there may be some involvement by school officials in operating or advising the charities, it wasn't the district administration who allowed the thefts to occur. Lets put the blame where is due - on the charities run for the benefit of the schools.

Yes, this article states that thefts were from foundations.

However, some high level officials (school, legislature etc..) are tied into those charities or businesses.

One case in point a former shop teacher told me of a principal that wanted him to purchase certain goods for his class from a specific local company.

Why? His brother in-law owned it! MMMMM

So.. Steve while I agree with your comment and am acutely aware that we cannot monitor all things.

The corruption runs deeper than we know!!

You people all watch way too much Law & Order.

The $4.3M theft from the Davis School District was the district office not some non-profit foundation. The fundamental problem is the public education environment where no one is accountable for anything from the quality of teaching to the spending of public funds. A legislative audit showed that no other district in the state had the poor internal control problems that the Davis School District has and yet no one but the thief even got their hands slapped.

re; not so fast | 4:30 p.m. Feb. 2, 2009

Most excellent information!!