Seattle principal investigated for taking school funds

A former elementary school principal in Seattle and a
parent coordinator are under investigation, suspected of
mis-using the proceeds from school fundraisers.

The city Ethics and Elections Commission found
sloppy record-keeping and no explanation for $30,000 in
cash payouts from an unauthorized school bank account.

Parents and staff at Van Asselt Elementary became
concerned about how the money was being spent. Some
parents reported that they saw the principal counting cash
at her desk and a shoebox of money in her office. Those
reports sparked the investigation by the city ethics
agency.

The Seattle Times
reports former principal ElDoris Turner retired last
month, shortly after being placed on leave. She had more
than 40 years with the Seattle School District. The
district reports that parent coordinator Ramona Fuentes
has been fired.

The fund held money from school fundraisers and
the unauthorized withdrawls were made over a period of 18
months, according to the report obtained by the Times. The
ethics investigators could not explain how the cash
withdrawls were spent, but termed it a “gross waste of
public funds.”