Embattled athletic director resigns amid two investigations

By D. Aileen Dodd

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jeff Holloway, a three-time athletic director of the year, resigned from Fulton County Schools amid allegations that he misused school funds.

Holloway was facing two separate investigations into parent complaints of misconduct when he left his $58,860-a-year job as a special education teacher and girls' basketball coach at Riverwood International Charter School in Sandy Springs.

Holloway was being investigated by human resources officials for allegedly accepting a $1,200 check made out to him from National Underclassmen Combine, a group leasing the football field in March 2009. Holloway said the group representative asked him to redistribute the funds later to settle two accounts.

“Holloway indicated that he accepted a check for $1,200 the Sunday of the event and then that Monday cashed the check and took out two money orders,” the investigative report said.

Human resources found, however, that the money orders were purchased 6 1/2 weeks after the check was cashed. One for $1,000 was allocated as a donation for facilities upkeep and another for $200 was directed for custodial fees. Investigators said they could not find records to show the $200 money order had been received.

Commingling school and personal funds is a violation of school policy, said Samantha Evans, Fulton Schools spokeswoman.

“Employees are not allowed to accept personal checks from someone," she said.

Holloway denied wrongdoing and disputed the report.

"I resigned because I was told by the chief of human resources that he was going to pursue termination," he said. "I did not take any money. Every dime of it was turned in. I got three money orders -- a money order for $500, a money order for $500 and a money order for $200. The funds were given to the principal and the bookkeeper the following day."

The school's former principal, Eddie Echols, resigned in late September after a school audit showed that a school-issued American Express card was inappropriately used. No sign of embezzlement was found.

Holloway's case will be sent to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for possible investigation as a breach of the Code of Ethics for Educators.

Holloway also was accused by a parent of taking home $300 in concession stand proceedsin a lockbox after a fundraiser for girls’ basketball. Investigators said those actions also violated school policy and added that Holloway misrepresented facts surrounding the incident.

Holloway said he only took the money home because a booster representative did not come to collect it.

“There was no where to put that money at 6 o'clock on a Saturday evening," he said. "By their rules, I guess taking the money home was illegal. ... I did not use any money for personal use.”

Holloway, an educator for 15 years, was named as Region 5-AAA Athletic Director of the Year three times since 2008. He said he plans to hire a lawyer to protect his professional credentials.

Holloway has been on leave since last Wednesday. At that time, the interim principal launched a separate investigation into parent complaints that Holloway and members of his staff were verbally abusive to competition cheerleaders and overworked the girls as they prepared for tournaments.

Cheerleader parent Jim Cole said Holloway had a "shouting match" with him at a football game and that his daughter had been yelled at and told to quit the team by coaches. The senior suffered a hip injury during intense practices four times a week and only now is cleared medically to cheer at football games.

"The coaches were not being safe. Things were brought to [Holloway's] attention and he did not take care of it," Cole said.

Evans said the cheerleading probe will continue into other staff named in the complaint.