An Atlanta high school band director accused of mishandling student fundraising money has been fired.
The Atlanta school board voted unanimously this week to fire Washington High School band director James Anderson.
Anderson, who said he's been teaching for 23 years and had a track record of helping his students get college scholarships, 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 proceeds from students' 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.
Investigators said Anderson violated multiple policies in handling money raised for students. He didn’t issue receipts, deposit money promptly or get approval from principal Tasharah Wilson for fundraising, according to the district report.
Under district policy, school principals are ultimately responsible for all money collected for student activities. The district report faulted Wilson for failing to monitor the band’s fundraising activities. No disciplinary action was taken against her.
Another Atlanta high school educator — Mays football coach Corey Jarvis — also faces termination after allegations of financial mismanagement. 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. A personnel hearing in the case starts today.
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