The $64 Million Gaffe of Dallas ISD

In Dallas, Texas, the Superintendent Michael Hinojosa has one of the most controversial accounting problems that Dallas ISD has ever seen. It is the recent news of a $64 million budget shortfall. How does a problem such as this go unseen for such a long period of time? Why has Michael Hinojosa claimed to have no knowledge of this problem until now? Furthermore, the Mayor of Dallas, Texas, Tom Leppert, hasn't said one thing about this problem? After all, it is a rather big problem that is affecting the integrity of his glorious city. There is one thing though that stands out in my mind more so than this $64 million gaffe, and it is the 600 employee's who lost their jobs and the children who are being cheated because of the incompetence and inefficiency of those who are in charge of the funding for Dallas ISD. In my eye's this is no different than the $700 billion dollar bailout for those investment companies who chose to practice in unethical trading scams that has cheated millions of innocent people out of what is rightfully theirs. A living for the teachers and quality education for the kids is what is at stake here. It seems that there are individuals employed by Dallas ISD who are too busy trying to come up with ways to scam money from innocent tax payers so that they can have the more illustrious life style that they lust so much for and Michael Hinijosa is most likely involved in it.

It is mind boggling at best to think that the Superintendent of all people does not know how this has happened. I will tell you how it happened. It is because Michael Hinijosa knew about it, that's why. There needs to be some scorched earth politics involved with this problem. This includes a formal investigation into why this money is missing, the formal resignation and possible indictment of Michael Hinijosa for theft, and a house cleaning of Dallas ISD staff members who were also involved with this scam. At this point there are innocent teachers and children who are the victims here. It is a shame that those involved with this scam can even sleep at night. Researched at http://www.dallascityhall.com/government/mayor/mayor_responsibilities.html, Tom Leppert has the authority to appoint Advisory Committees, in charge of Finance, Audit & Accountability Committee, and he can create committees and appoint members, chairs and co-chairs. Now with this being said, he should take some action, because no action is cowardice.

The State of Texas also needs to become more involved in the effort to crack down on corrupt school districts such as Dallas ISD. According to the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 2, Chapter 109, SubChapter A, Rule 109.1 and taken from http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=109&rl=1

(b) The commissioner of education shall develop and administer the requirements relating to budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, and auditing for Texas public schools. The commissioner of education shall ensure adequate stakeholder involvement in the design and modification of these requirements. The State Board of Education shall approve the budgeting, accounting, and reporting systems and the auditing procedures as determined by the commissioner of education. The school districts and charter schools shall install the budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting system as required by law and meet the audit requirements as developed by the commissioner of education and subject to review and comment by the state auditor when required by law.

I honestly do not think that Dallas ISD has installed anything that the State of Texas has put forth. Dallas ISD is in direct violation of the above mention Texas Administrative Code and it should definitely be looked into by the State of Texas. Dallas ISD has failed the children within its district miserably and should be held accountable.