What CISD Must Do To Restore Confidence

by Alden Nellis

The June 8 Times-Review editorial “School District’s Woes Must Be Solved” was for the most part on target. The conclusion that CISD must “clean up its act and restore confidence” is a good summation.

All they have to do to clean up their act is to go by the rules. Restoring confidence will be harder and take longer. Parents had trusted them to educate their children. The recent poor showing on state test scores probably reflects the fact that federal funds were not spent properly on the kids but on perks for the administration and school board.

An annual full audit is needed. Maybe after a few good audits taxpayer confidence will be rebuilt and the frequency of full audits can be reduced. The audit must cover all funds – federal, state and local. The audit must do a lot more than audits have done in the past.

The problems exposed by the limited TEA audit of federal funds are systemic and serious. The improper use of 44% of those funds indicates mismanagement from the top to the bottom of CISD administration. A major restructuring is needed. After that, strict enforcement of policies within the administration and a constant vigilance by taxpayers and the school board will be necessary.

Interim Superintendent Dr. James Warlick and Board President Stu Madison have said the TEA report did not find any criminal actions. Please let me remind the community that although the TEA does not have the authority to pursue criminal action against anyone they do have the authority to make recommendations to other law enforcement agencies that do. Once the final report is ready in about a month, the US Department of Education will receive a copy. We have been told based on what they determine that it is possible that they may conduct their own investigation and take any appropriate action they deem necessary.

As I see it the use of funds intended for the children by the administration and School Board for luxurious retreats and perks IS stealing from the kids. Stealing is a crime.

We have talked with the Department of Education and will talk with them more once they receive TEA’s final report. Criminal charges from the DOE and FBI may be sparked by the TEA report.

No one I know has made any claims of fraud. However, it is hard to draw a line between stealing from the kids and putting money in your pocket versus stealing from the kids and spending the money on pleasure and perks for yourself.

Should the community just drop it? No. To do so would be to condone those actions. The guilty persons will think they got off the hook and go on to do it again. The individuals who misused the funds should be made to pay them back. The taxpayers should not be made to pay again for these people’s transgressions. After all, the taxpayers already paid them handsome salaries to do their job properly. If there was criminal activity, these individuals should be charged and fined. This should include all individuals whether or not they are currently employed by CISD.

We have met with Dr. Warlick and he assures us that he and incoming superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard are serious about fixing the problems. I believe him. However, no fix will be complete without a thorough restructuring within the administration and a clean sweep of the individuals who are responsible for the misuse of funds.

I, for one, will not consider the problems fixed until the “clean sweep” is done. Once it is done, I will continue to watch the district closely to make sure it stays on track. I hope I will be joined in that vigil by many other concerned parents and taxpayers.