By Paul Tuthill
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Springfield, MA – The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has been asked to investigate allegations of malfeasance at a vocational high school in Springfield Massachusetts. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.
An audit at Putnam Vocational Technical High School brought to light a number of scams by a group of employees, who used funds from a student activity account for personal use, skimmed cash, and may have stolen computers and other electronics from the school building.
But because the record keeping was so sloppy, and in one instance, computerized records were allegedly destroyed to hinder investigators, the full scope of the fraud is unknown, according to Springfield Public School Department Communications Director Azell Cavaan.
Four employees of the school have been fired, two others resigned and one person was demoted. No names were released. A 57 page report and the back up material used to prepare it by the city of Springfield's Office of Internal Audit has been turned over to the Massachusetts Attorney General.
The audit began 13 months ago, shortly after a new principal arrived at the high school and reported concerns about a student activity checkbook that was not subject to oversight by the city treasurer, in apparent violation of Massachusetts State Law. Investigators for the city determined that about 200 thousand dollars flowed in and out of that checking account annually.
Some of that money, according to the audit, was allegedly used to repair an out of state rental property owned by a school employee, to finance side businesses, and to purchase gift cards from clothing stores and a membership in a shopping club.
School administrators reacted to the audit with a mix of indignation and assurances that reforms have been put in place
Springfield School Committee member Antonette Pepe ,said she was disgusted by the activities alleged by the audit. She said taxpayers were ripped off and students suffered
City Councilor Timothy Rooke, a member of the Audit Committee, which has been monitoring the investigation at Putnam High School said it was reminiscent of previous corruption scandals in Springfield.
The audit covered a period of time, 2005 to 2010 when Kevin McCaskill was principal of Putnam High School. He is now an administrator in the Hartford Connecticut School System. McCaskill told the Springfield Republican newspaper he had no recollection of doing anything illegal.