More Scandals Plague Local Educators

More Scandals Plague Local Educators

An audit of the Achievement School District (ASD) revealed that the district misspent tax payer dollars on “unreasonable expenses,” and even alcohol.

One lawmaker called the findings of the audit, which was released Wednesday, “alarming.”

The money spent was supposed to be helping kids at the lowest performing schools in Tennessee. The ASD was created to raise test scores in the bottom five percent of schools in the state.

This was the first performance audit of the Achievement School District by the state since the ASD’s creation six years ago, and it focused solely on how state money has been spent or, as the audit found, misspent.

“They should never ever purchase alcohol with taxpayers’ funds,” Jason Mumpower of the state Comptroller’s Office told a joint House Education Committee Wednesday afternoon, after sharing that state auditors found ASD managers bought alcohol at least three times.

During a holiday party where the outgoing ASD superintendent and other ASD leaders were recognized, $2,500 was spent on alcohol and a bartender.

The audit stated that on another occasion ASD managers spent another $1,000 on alcohol “in recognition of ASD school leaders and support staff.” That money was supposed to be strictly used for school operating expenses.

“Should they have known better?” NewsChannel5 Investigates asked Representative Harold Love. (continue reading at NewsChannel5)

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