By Associated Press
Birmingham, AL – An audit of Birmingham schools has some disturbing findings of theft.
Chief Financial Officer Arthur Watts says he's appalled at the findings and has turned them over to the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office for possible prosecution.
Watts told the school board Tuesday he found evidence of employees who have stolen children's money and evidence of other employees who have opened bank accounts outside of school to pilfer school money.
Suspected thefts uncovered at Bush Middle School prompted the start in February of audits of all 66 Birmingham schools.
At Bush, school officials said, money collected for cheerleading was reported missing.
Since then, two administrators and one teacher at the school were placed on paid administrative leave pending the school district's probe.
Principal Aurlinda Hagler, who was one of the administrators placed on leave, has retired.
Two other incidents of missing money have taken place this school year.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)