An Atlanta high school band director accused of mishandling student fundraising money has been fired. And a football coach also accused of financial mismanagement could face the same fate.
The Atlanta school board voted unanimously this week to fire Washington High School band director James Anderson.
Anderson has denied mishandling money. He told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this year he was the victim of a "witch hunt" by disgruntled former band staff.
“I never accepted or collected any funds,” he said in February.
But school district investigators said Anderson collected money from student candy sales in a lockbox in his office and destroyed records showing how much money was collected, according to a district report. About $2,760 worth of candy was unaccounted for and about $1,000 in candy or cash was outstanding.
Under district policy, school principals are ultimately responsible for all money collected by school staff for student activities. A district report faulted Washington principal Tasharah Wilson for failing to monitor the band’s fundraising activities. No disciplinary action was taken against her.
In a separate case, the Atlanta school district is trying to fire Mays High School football coach Corey Jarvis. Jarvis was put on paid leave earlier this year after an investigation found thousands of dollars missing or unaccounted for from school football accounts and that Jarvis had engaged in aggressive confrontations just short of fistfights with a parent and a school visitor.
More than $10,000 belonging to the football team was unaccounted for, according to a district audit. That includes more than $6,000 in football receipts recorded by Jarvis that could not be traced and more than $4,000 collected by him.
Mays principal Richard Fowler received a letter of reprimand in connection with the case.
Jarvis "ignored the rules and decided to handle things his way," Kwame Townes, a lawyer for the district, said at an personnel hearing Thursday. "But for a complaint from a parent, Mr. Jarvis may well have continued to handle things his way."
Jarvis had a 19-year history of success as a coach, his lawyer Antavius Weems said. Jarvis could have received a warning, “not ‘you’re out because you did something wrong,’ ” Weems said.
A decision in Jarvis’ case is expected in the coming weeks.
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