Santa Clara County Office of Education launches probe into misuse of public funds
The Education Office said it recently uncovered potential evidence of unauthorized expenditure of public funds and contract awards.
Public funds may also have been used for investigations of the Board of Education and "surveillance, internet technology monitoring (including emails), and other security risks," the office said in a press release Friday.
The elected board voted to fire Superintendent Mary Ann Dewan without cause on Oct. 2. Dewan, who was appointed in 2018, had come under fire over workplace safety and lack of resources for special education teachers and students.
The Board of Education appointed an interim superintendent, Charles Hinman, on Oct. 16.
"It is critical that we maintain the SCCOE's fiscal and operational integrity and that is why I am immediately seeking experts to conduct complete audits of Office of Education budgets, expenditures, and operations," Hinman said in the press release.
