Fiscal Rangers

Lake County PTO Fraud was NOT a School District Matter

Lake County PTO Fraud was NOT a School District Matter The Orlando Sentinel Published an article on Friday, Nov. 3rd that incorrectly implied a school checking account was hit by a fraud. It was not a school account and the headline writer should be chastised. I thought I was reading an article on poor internal controls and management of the Lake County (FL) School District, when BOOM - a Nov. 3rd Orlando Sentinel article headline seemed to indicate there was a District fraud, BUT it was NOT a school district bank account that was skimmed. So the headline saying a "deli owner cooked school's books" was not accurate. I haven't seen any info in the Daily Commercial. This fraud apparently occurred in the separate Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), which is a volunteer group independent of District control. See my comments after the article. ========================================================== Cops say deli owner cooked school's books The ex-New Yorker is accused of embezzling $10,926 as PTO treasurer at her daughter's school. Erin Cox Sentinel Staff Writer November 3, 2006 TAVARES -- Police arrested a deli-shop owner Thursday on charges that she embezzled nearly $11,000 while serving as Parent-Teacher Organization treasurer at her daughter's school. According to... Read more →

Vote for an Appointed, NOT Elected school District Superintendant

Below are recently published OP Ed and Editorials on the Lake County (FL) voter's ballot issue of changing the Lake County School District regulations so that the School District Superintendant is "Hired" or "Appointed by the Board" instead of the current method of being an elected position: ========================================== OPINION MY WORD - Op Ed Column Appointed superintendent makes sense Pam Burtnett October 29, 2006 The purpose of the educational system outside the classroom is to support what happens inside the classroom. Public schools that excel have a shared vision and smooth operation. Everyone involved -- teachers, principals, School Board members, superintendents, support staff, parents and community members -- focuses on positive results. This shared understanding and common focus is difficult to achieve under a system that divides loyalties between elected policymakers such as the School Board and an elected administrator, the superintendent. Disagreements on issues of authority distract the educational community and consume the time needed for focused decision-making. Division and distraction are not good for students. Blaming the elected individuals perpetuates the problem. They unfortunately are caught in a political process. Imagine trying to fight a war with an elected general or trying to run a multimillion-dollar corporation with... Read more →