$13,000 Missing from Birmingham Elementary School’s Bank Account
In a startling revelation, an audit report published by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts uncovered that over $13,000 was found missing from the bank account of a local elementary school in Birmingham. Disruptions were noticed when school board members discovered discrepancies while comparing teacher receipts with amounts deposited into the elementary school’s bank account.
A Bookkeeper Under Investigation
Birmingham City Schools had launched an internal investigation, and it was unearthed that from 2017 to 2023, a grand total of $13,679 was collected but was indisputably not deposited to Huffman Academy’s account. A bookkeeper associated with the elementary school was implicated and consequently resigned from their position. The audit, however, refrained from revealing the individual’s identity.
The bookkeeper was promptly placed on administrative leave in July 2023 before the official resignation notice was submitted later that year in December.
Unaddressed Issues and Financial Neglects
The audit didn’t just shed light on the monetary discrepancy issue, but it also showed the elementary school being countered by recurring problems of overspending. Additionally, the scenario of lax accounting protocols at several local schools was another pressing concern that surfaced.
Five schools that went through similar tests failed to submit receipts and deposits on time. This dire strait endangers these schools, exposing them to potential risks of losses or theft.
Steps Taken to Combat Issues
In response to the audit’s alarming revelations, Superintendent Mark Sullivan acknowledged the grave lapse in accounting protocols across several schools. He stated that schools weren’t following a standard accounting manual, which subsequently led to accounting inconsistencies. “Our district is decentralized, which implies that the central office has limited oversight regarding what transpires at the school; consequently, issues emerge without our cognizance,” Sullivan stated.
To curtail such devastating financial mishaps in the future, Birmingham City Schools is establishing rigorous training to foster better financial norms and procedures. Additionally, some fundraising initiatives are underway to help balance local school budgets. A novel routing system is being deployed to ensure a school has ample money at its disposal before engaging in a purchase.
Despite the severe financial situations and improprieties, Birmingham school board members are relentless in their pursuit of rectifying the problem. They have filed a police report and are vigorously pursuing legal actions to recover the lost funds. As yet, no further details on whether a criminal complaint has been lodged, or officials have successfully managed to recoup any losses incurred since the audit.
School officials are yet to respond to this monetary debacle as multiple attempts to reach them for a statement have proven futile as of the time of this publication.
