NYC Educrats Took Own Kids to Magic Kingdom on Trips Meant for Homeless Students
Susan Edelman, New York Post, September 15, 2024
Six Department of Education employees used “forged permission slips” to take their own kids and grandchildren to Disney World and on other city-funded trips meant for homeless students, investigators alleged.
The secret perks robbed some of the city’s most disadvantaged kids of a chance to enjoy the Magic Kingdom — a trip that cost $66,000 for 50 or so adults and kids, a staffer said — and other multiple-day trips between 2016 and 2019 to Washington, DC, New Orleans, Boston, upstate Rocking Horse Ranch Resort, and Frost Valley YMCA campground, according to a newly released report by the Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools.
What happens in Disney stays in Disney: NYC educrats took own kids to Magic Kingdom on trips meant for homeless students https://t.co/diuf1BNxJG pic.twitter.com/YBZCOeBMnM
— New York Post (@nypost) September 15, 2024
Linda M. Wilson, a Queens supervisor of DOE’s “Students in Temporary Housing,” took her own two daughters on trips, and encouraged colleagues to take their sons, daughters and grandkids, but tried to cover up the shady practice when SCI started asking questions, the SCI report said.
“What happens here stays with us,” Wilson allegedly told co-workers.
“She said everyone should stick to the same story that we did not take our children on the trip,” an employee told The Post.
“She told us to lie to the investigators.”
While some homeless students attended the trips, the staffers’ kids took up valuable spots.
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“Taking money meant for homeless students is extremely inappropriate,” said Naveed Hasan, a Manhattan public school parent and member of the city’s Panel for Educational Policy who advocates for students in need of housing. “I’m shocked.”
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Wilson and other staffers used the names of homeless students to fabricate permission slips, then forged parent signatures on the paperwork, witnesses told investigators.
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At first, Wilson used a DOE contractor to book transportation, hotels, food and activities.
The city paid for the trips with a $300,000 federal grant from the National Center for Homeless Education meant to give kids enrichment and incentives to improve their attendance or academics.
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