Auditors uncover problems

• By CHARLES LUSSIER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jul 21, 2009 - Page: 1B

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A popular high-school principal is trying to get his job back, but his future is in jeopardy after auditors found he failed to catch his secretary charging more than $50,000 worth of personal expenses on a school credit card.

Howard Davis, a graduate of Scotlandville High School, returned to his alma mater in fall 2006 to become principal. Many credit him with helping to revive the school’s spirit, improving discipline and engaging the largely black community there. The school’s test scores also improved, especially in math and English.

Recently, however, he resigned, and then changed his mind, asking for his job back.

On July 14, almost 300 people appeared at a community forum to try to persuade new East Baton Rouge Parish Superintendent John Dilworth to rehire Davis.

Dilworth, whose first day was July 1, praised Davis’ overall work, but was noncommittal. He worried that if he rehired Davis, the same problems that led to Davis’ resignation might return.

Dilworth, however, would not say what those problems were, nor would other officials.

Davis’ inattentive financial control is being questioned.

Between February and May, the system’s Internal Audit Office performed a financial investigation of Scotlandville High. The Advocate obtained a copy of the audit. Here are highlights of the audit:

• Maxine Kennedy, the school’s secretary, allegedly obtained a Sam’s Club Card without authorization and over the course of 28 months, used it to buy groceries, furniture, pay utility bills, and make cash advances totaling $51,877.92.
• Kennedy allegedly allowed her daughter, Toni, to use the card, including for large cash advances, and a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention.
• Almost $16,000 from daily concession sales from August 2008 to February 2009 was not deposited in the bank.
• Mandated financial controls were often ignored and records were erratic.
• Several efforts to raise funds from students for school activities lacked necessary prior approvals or financial controls on spending.
• The staff routinely flouted policies aimed at combating obesity and helping students become more healthy, including selling junk food at all times of the day and improperly using food as a reward for good behavior.
• Principal Davis, Maxine Kennedy, and Athletic Director Iris Nettles-Pugh had the school pay for their cell phones, despite rules and restrictions against personal cell phone use.

The findings were submitted to the auditors. Kennedy and her daughter face criminal counts of alleged unauthorized use of a credit card.

In an interview Monday, Davis acknowledged he should have done more to stop it all.

“I should have been more aware of it,” Davis said. “The one thing I am guilty of it is oversight, failure to exercise the proper supervision.”

Elizabeth Duran Swinford, associate superintendent for human resources, said those in the audit were disciplined.