Let the crooks pay the money back. Then go to jail.
ATLANTA --- Fraud, waste and rampant nepotism marred the first two years of a program for coaching teachers championed by Gov. Sonny Perdue, according to a scathing report from state auditors that calls for a criminal investigation.
The audit blasted the former state officials who oversaw the program and the regional agency that ran it, saying administrators steered business and taxpayer dollars to relatives.
"A review of the expenditures of the Academic Coach Program for FY 2006 and 2007 indicated that a high percentage of payments were directed toward various related parties," the report said. "Had appropriate procurement policies been followed, it does not appear that many of these parties would have received payments for services."
Mr. Perdue introduced the academic coach program in 2005 as a way of providing extra pay to talented teachers who agreed to mentor colleagues in struggling school districts. But none of the $1.2 million set aside by the General Assembly for the program's first two years were used for salary supplements, the audit found.
"That's certainly frustrating for the governor," press secretary Bert Brantley said of the report.
Instead, a state Department of Education employee and her family took in more than $170,000 from the program, the audit found, much of it through improper reimbursements or invoices. The employee also asked other employees to do unnecessary work that was later used in her dissertation about the program.
The director of the Oconee Regional Education Service Agency in Tennille, about 65 miles southwest of Augusta in Washington County, was awarded a contract to run the program. He allegedly steered $53,500 to a company listing his wife as chief executive officer in filings with the secretary of state's office. Mike Walker is also listed as chief financial officer of the company, the report said.
Employees said Mr. Walker was out of town at a conference.
The two Department of Education employees named in the report -- Vickie Lindsey, the former academic coach program manager, and her immediate supervisor, Wendy Hughes, an executive with the teacher quality division -- have already been fired, State Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox said in a statement released by her office. She also called on Attorney General Thurbert Baker to open a criminal investigation.
Ms. Cox asked state auditors to launch their investigation after an internal agency probe raised questions about the program.
"I know the findings in this audit are disappointing for taxpayers as they are disappointing for me and the many good people that work at the Georgia Department of Education," she said. "I hope the message is delivered loud and clear that I expect everyone who has use of taxpayer resources to act in a manner consistent with the highest ethical standards."
Reach Brandon Larrabee at (678) 977-3709 or brandon.larrabee@morris.com
Comments
Let the crooks pay the money back. Then go to jail.
When diversity and affirmative action, instead of qualifications, are used to hire "the right" people, this is the common result. The department of education is rife with this class of employee. The Academic Coach Program is a good way to clean the system up. Sometimes unintended consequences have good results.
If these employees were caught, just think what a little more investigation would find. Nepotism is obviously happening in all areas of the Board of Education from State offices to local offices. Look hard Cathy Cox and you will see a lot of underhanded uses of our money.
Let these people pay back all of the money and do there time. It will show others you will get CAUGHT. You absolutely cannot keep living high on the hog and someone not notice. God and country does not like ugly.
Do we know that these employees were hired through an affirmative action program or are you Patricia just assuming they were because of what has happened. Greed is found in even the most educated and qualified people, you can watch the news on a regular basis and see that. I personally hope that charges are brought regardless of their class....
You forgot about diversity and qualifications when twisting my comment, 5:00smwhr. That may be why you appear to be confused.
Cathy Cox has become the WORSE school superintendent since Warner Rodgers. Time to term limit her, too bad we have to wait 2+ years.
Patriciathomas, I too must have been confused by your original statements because I found them to be offensive. A criminal is a criminal regardless and when you take money intended to help our children, then you need to end up in jail. You must have meant that the DOE and the republicans that run it are the culprits.
Why was there not any oversight DURING the program? How did GA DOE not know what was going on? Sounds like Perdue and his GA DOE Cronies are not doing their jobs. Patriciathomas's comments make no sense. The republicans are the ones who chose the contractor. A crook is a crook, it has nothing to do with diversity and affirmative action. Understand what you are reading.
Thank you papag, I was not confused at all, Pats comment was typical with a racist edge as usual. it is what it is......
Cox needs to be fired. This would not have happened had she been doing her job. Same for the CRCT fiasco.
It's not is much that Cox needs to be fired over this incident ... where are the checks and balances to ensure this type of criminal activity could not have taken place? Why did it take two years to audit the program? Are the taxpayers to believe the person(s) in charge of the program weren't aware of what's going on?? I know everything that is happening in my department, especially if I am to be held accountable. That is Cox's cupability in this.
Sorry for all of the confusion. Unqualified employees make poor decisions and that leads to a plethora of problems. Understand?
The check and balance is the annual audit and not by in house folks or it would be a mess.
patriciathomas of course unqualified employees make poor decisions. But what does that have to do with affirmative actions. There are no blacks, asians, or hispanics with high postions really in atlanta state dept. There are a few token blacks but not at the top postions. And definitely no asians or hispanics. Their mostly white and republican. Just look at kathy cox and the governor sonny perdue both republicans.
Is this not a perfect example of "it isn't what you know, it's who you know" that gets you a job?
Affirmative action dosn't only apply to race it also includes gender.
There's no confusion? When did I mention race? When did I mention gender? I believe if you read my posts, I focused on qualification. Do I detect justifiable defense in some of these responses?
patriciathomas...Why bother defending yourself. You get labeled a racist for making a comment that the king is naked.
Impeach Pardue. End public education and public welfare. Birth control and engenics could make Ga a more beautiful place to live.
a state Department of Education employee and her family took in more than $170,000 from the program, the audit found, much of it through improper reimbursements or invoices. The employee also asked other employees to do unnecessary work that was later used in her dissertation about the program.
This individual should be DENIED her PhD and expelled from the doctorate program in which she is enrolled. Additionally, she should be banned from enrolling in any other PhD program in this State; any future references should reflect her theft and misuse of post-graduate studies by virtue of her abuse of employees in order to get the dissertation written. ALL of the individuals who 'benefitted' from the mentoring program should be forced to repay the GA government and sentenced to no less than 5 years in prison and 3 years probation upon relaeas. Probaation should INCLUDE community services that are geared to helping juvenile deliquents in rehabilitation programs.
Well,Well.Well, I must be a real dummy. I thought teachers were college educated in their field, QUALIFIED to teach our children, interviewed and evaluated and certified, before they went in front of a class. I must be wrong and that is why they need other teachers to mentor to them. If they aren't qualified then get rid of them. This just sounds like sooooo many bandaid fixes we see today. If we have a problem just have a study and throw money at the problem till it goes away, or a new focus takes its place. Just another example of nothing is too good for taxpayers and nothing is too expensive for them also.
Thank you, successbreedssuccess, you are correct that a doctorate in education is an Ed D. However, there are quite a few who have a Ph D. instead. In this case, it doesn't matter, the lady needs to be stripped of her credentials, period. I also agree with you that doctorate level instructors do not equate with better achievements by our student population--DEDICATED teachers who HONESTLY care about how the children are educated do matter, and we have so very few of them.
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