The inspector general’s 43-page report shows that corruption and theft are still major problems for the Chicago Public Schools.
In one case, almost $900,000 was stolen in what IG Nicholas Schuler called a major purchasing and re-imbursement scheme at two unnamed high schools.
Reports have identified those schools as Gage Park Academy and Michele Clark Academic Preparatory Magnet High School.
The report details almost $600,000 paid to two business owners for goods and services that were never actually provided.
In return, an unnamed school employee received hundreds of thousands in kickbacks.
Of one business owner and the school employee, the report says they “Essentially stole the money and split it between them.”
Parents today at Michele Clark Academic Preparatory say they are surprised by the report.
“That’s really sad because that school needs every penny it can get,” Monica Lundey said. “We need to find out what they did with it [because] that’s sad.
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A spokesman today issued a statement saying, “Chicago Public Schools is committed to working with the office of the inspector general to eliminate corruption, fraud and waste across the district.
He went on to say that, “The annual OIG report is a testament of our cooperation and demonstrates we do not tolerate any wrongdoing, and Chicago Public Schools has either addressed or is addressing all the issues in the report.”
Of the six employees involved in the scheme at Gage and Michele Clark high schools, two were fired and two resigned while under investigation. One was given a warning.
Chicago Public Schools is also seeking to bar all the businesses and vendors involved from doing business with the district.
