That's a Lot of Doughnuts

This article caught my eye because someone near and dear to me is in this school district.

Below is an excerpt, but you can read the full article here):

At Elgin Middle School , there is what's called the "MS Miscellaneous Account." It gets its money from a variety of sources, including concession-stand revenue, campus fundraisers and from students going door-to-door.

But at Elgin Middle School, much of the money in the account is used to feed the principal and her staff.

By the numbers

$2,840.91 — Catered holiday parties
$1,340. 66 — Faculty lounge supplies
$1,102.04 — Breakfast tacos.
$424.26 — Super Donuts
$4,591.13 — Other expenses



$10,299 — Miscellaneous Account total

According to a KXAN investigation, thousands of dollars from the fund were spent by Middle School Principal Riza Cooper on her staff for breakfast tacos, doughnuts, barbecue lunches and other meals.

The investigation, which used Elgin school district financial records from the past 14 months, uncovered checks totaling $3,014 earmarked for "faculty meetings" spent to buy food. Those faculty meetings include meat trays, fruit assortments and salads. The staff has gobbled-up ice cream with chocolate syrup, sprinkles and cherries.

In the full article, it is explained that what they have done is legal.  It may be legal, but it smells a little fishy.  I am not suggesting that staff should not eat.  But should they use funds the kids and their parents raise to help fund school activities?  Should the activities not include students (and none of these did)?  And should they spend $400 bucks on donuts?  I don't know which bothers me more–that they spent $10k to feed themselves, or that what they fed themselves was not particularly healthy.  Doughnuts and ice cream with sprinkles?? Who eats that a faculty meetings and manages to stay awake for the rest of the day?  I have sat through many working lunches in my day, and we never had ice cream with sprinkles.

I rate this action by this school as bone-headed.  I realize that in the greater scheme of things it is not the most egregious thing that ever happened, but still, I think the principal should be sentenced to buy Girl Scout cookies for staff meetings by the crate for the next ten years.  What do you think of this accounting?  What bone-headed things have schools done that you're aware of? 

 

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