In a scandal that has shocked many, six employees of the New York City Department of Education (DOE) are accused of misusing funds meant to benefit homeless students. According to a recent report from the Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI), these workers diverted money intended for educational trips into personal vacations for their own families.
The employees, who worked between 2016 and 2019, allegedly used the funds to cover expenses for trips to popular destinations such as Disney World, Washington, D.C., and New Orleans. Among those accused is Linda Wilson, the DOE region manager responsible for overseeing children in temporary housing. The report details how Wilson took her daughters on city-funded excursions and encouraged other colleagues to follow suit.
Wilson is accused of forging permission slips to allow her family members on these trips, which were supposed to be exclusively for students. The investigation uncovered that Wilson misled others about the nature of these trips. For instance, a planned visit to Syracuse University in June 2018 turned into a detour to Niagara Falls instead. Syracuse University later confirmed that no tour took place.
The report also reveals that Wilson was aware of the investigation into these activities and responded by canceling another trip to Philadelphia. She allegedly instructed her colleagues to provide false information to investigators, saying, “What happens here stays with us.”
In addition to Wilson, other employees implicated include Program Manager Shaquieta Boyd, Family Assistants Joanne Castro, Mishawn Jack, Virgen Ramos, and Community Coordinator Maria Sylvester. The SCI completed its investigation in January 2023, recommending the dismissal of all involved and restitution of the funds. However, no criminal charges have been filed due to a lack of sufficient documentation.
This misuse of educational funds highlights a troubling issue of corruption and betrayal of public trust, especially affecting those who are most in need of support.
