BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS DECLINE: THEFT IN SCHOLS - INTERNAL CONTROLS LACKING

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BIRMINGHAM POST MORTEM: BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS DECLINE: THEFT IN SCHOLS - INTERNAL CONTROLS LACKING (State Auditors Report) With mounting financial deficits, theft form school children’s funds are rampant in Birmingham City Schools, with woeful internal accounting controls. 

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE:  http://www.examiners.state.al.us/PDFs/Audit06-0485.pdf   

CFBS NOTE: SINCE 2003 CITIZENS FOR BETTER SCHOOLS HAS PRESSED BIRMINGHAM'S SCHOOL BOARD, AND SUPERINTENDENTS (BROWN, SHIVER, AND MIMS) FOR A COMPREHENSIVE FORENSIC AUDIT OF CITY SCHOOLS - THEY  HAVE REFUSED.  EXAMINERS OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS AUDIT ARE NOT FORENSIC, MERELY COMPILATION AUDITS, AND ARE SEVERAL YEARS BEHIND. BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL FIANCE DIRECTOR ARTHUR WATTS HAS BEEN SILENT ON A REQUEST FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT.  CRIMINAL STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IN ALABAMA IS THREE YEARS -  GOOD LUCK CATCHING FRAUD AND THEFT IN 61 SCHOOLS WITHIN THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Savage cuts made to classrooms  After profusely vowing to “protect the classroom,” the Birmingham Board of Education, on a 5 to 1 vote, with two board members absent, and one abstaining, savagely cut its instructional program staff.Job Cuts by the Numbers Certified Employees Fired        Retirements (including Buyout Plan) Teachers                   224           95Principals                   0              2Assistant Principals    2              1Counselors                                    5          5 Misc. positions           (Laborers, program Specialist, Psychometrics)ARI (Alabama Reading Initiative                   1               0Assist. Superintendent  0                  1Deputy Superintendent  1                  0Attendance Officers       1            0 Job Cuts by the Numbers Certified Employees:                  Fired        Teachers                                   224           Principals                                    0              Assistant Principals                      2              Counselors                                  5                Miscellaneous Positions:             Laborers, Program Specialist, Psychometrists ARI Alabama Reading Initiative:       1          Assist. Superintendent                    0                  Deputy Superintendent                   1                  Attendance Officers                         1             Classified Employees:                                Fired                         Bus Drivers              27                               Cafeteria workers      24                             Clerical                     21                              Instructional assist.  (teacher Aides)          30                          Maintenance               4                              Technology                3                              Security                      1                              Finance                      5                              Medical relations        1                              Social Relations         2                            Total Classified           164                          TOTAL EMPLOYEES  398                               Source, Birmingham Board of Education             According to Birmingham school officials, the 398 positions cut (including retirements and school closings) represent approximately fifteen percent (15%) in reductions in the system’s workforce of about 4,000.  An employee “buyout” early retirement plan allegedly will save the system about $8.8 million dollars. Total projected “savings” allegedly amount to $15 - $16 million dollars (operating and maintenance, capital, buyout reductions).