New details have emerged about a misuse of funds within New York City’s public school system. A recently released investigative report reveals six school employees took their own children on trips to Disney World, instead of using the funds on homeless students.
The report said funds intended to provide educational trips for students living in shelters were used by teachers. They allegedly brought family members on trips to places like Florida, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and even to Broadway shows.
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At the center of the scandal is Lisa Wilson, the Queens regional manager for the office that supports these low income students. The scheme ran from 2016 to 2019, and involved the misuse of $300,000 of federal grant money. All of the money was meant to help homeless children.
Investigators allege that Wilson encouraged colleagues to bring their own family on trips, while doing the same with her own. She reportedly told them, “what happens here stays with us.”
Wilson denies the allegations. In an interview with the New York Post, she calls the investigation a “witch hunt,” insisting that she didn’t take her family on trips or advise her staff to do so.
The report claims Wilson forged permission slips and bypassed the Department of Educations protocols. She allegedly used an outside agency to handle travel arrangements.
In some cases, the students didn’t even visit the college campuses they were meant to tour. A whistleblower exposed the scandal, claiming students who were supposed to go on the trips never actually attended. Paperwork was even forged to cover the tracks of the scheme, stating that students did attend the trips.
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One employee even tried to defend herself, saying Wilson encouraged it and she had no reason to believe it was against the rules. The investigation recommends that Wilson and the other employees involved be fired and required to pay back the money spent on their trips.
Wilson has since claimed that she is retired, and the Education Department confirmed that none of the employees named in the report are currently employed with the schools.
Karah Rucker
NEW DETAILS HAVE EMERGED ABOUT A MISUSE OF FUNDS WITHIN NEW YORK CITY’S PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
A RECENTLY RELEASED INVESTIGATIVE REPORT REVEALING SIX SCHOOL EMPLOYEES TOOK THEIR OWN KIDS ON TRIPS TO DISNEY WORLD – INSTEAD OF USING THE MONEY ON HOMELESS STUDENTS.
THE REPORT DETAILS HOW INSTEAD OF
PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT TRIPS FOR STUDENTS LIVING IN SHELTERS, THEY TOOK THEIR OWN CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN ON TRIPS TO PLACES LIKE FLORIDA, NEW ORLEANS, AND WASHINGTON D.C., EVEN TO BROADWAY SHOWS.
AT THE CENTER OF THE SCANDAL IS LINDA WILSON, THE QUEENS REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE OFFICE THAT SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN TEMPORARY HOUSING.
THE SCHEME, WHICH RAN FROM 2016 TO 2019, INVOLVED THE MISUSE OF 300-THOUSAND-DOLLARS OF FEDERAL GRANT MONEY MEANT TO HELP HOMELESS CHILDREN.
INVESTIGATORS ALLEGE THAT WILSON NOT ONLY BROUGHT HER OWN CHILDREN ON THESE TRIPS BUT ENCOURAGED HER COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME, TELLING THEM, “WHAT HAPPENS HERE STAYS WITH US.”
WILSON DENIES THE ALLEGATIONS. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW YORK POST, SHE CALLS THE INVESTIGATION A ‘WITCH HUNT,’ INSdisneISTING SHE DIDN’T TAKE HER DAUGHTERS ON THE TRIPS OR ADVISE HER STAFF TO DO SO.
THE REPORT CLAIMS WILSON FORGED PERMISSION SLIPS AND BYPASSED DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROTOCOLS BY USING AN OUTSIDE AGENCY TO HANDLE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.
IN SOME CASES, THE STUDENTS DIDN’T EVEN VISIT THE COLLEGE CAMPUSES THEY WERE MEANT TO TOUR.
A WHISTLEBLOWER BLEW THE LID OFF THE SCANDAL, CLAIMING MOST OF THE HOMELESS STUDENTS LISTED ON THE PAPERWORK NEVER ACTUALLY ATTENDED THESE TRIPS.
ONE EMPLOYEE EVEN TRIED TO DEFEND HERSELF SAYING, WILSON ENCOURAGED IT, AND HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE THIS WAS AGAINST THE RULES.
THE INVESTIGATION RECOMMENDS THAT WILSON AND THE OTHER EMPLOYEES INVOLVED BE FIRED AND REQUIRED TO PAY BACK THE MONEY SPENT ON THEIR FAMILY TRIPS.
WILSON HAS SINCE CLAIMED SHE’S RETIRED, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONFIRMED THAT NONE OF THE EMPLOYEES NAMED IN THE REPORT ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED WITH THE NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
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