Baltimore City Schools Faces Criticism After Audit Reveals Multiple Violations

Baltimore City Public Schools is under scrutiny following the release of a financial audit by the Maryland Office of Legislative Services, which uncovered numerous violations of state laws.

The audit, which was published in February, reported 17 operational failures within the district, the highest number among local school systems. In comparison, Carroll County recorded nine findings, Baltimore County had eleven, while Howard and Anne Arundel Counties reported thirteen.

Yolanda Pulley, founder of the non-profit organization People Empowered by the Struggle and a former Democratic mayoral candidate, has been vocal about her concerns regarding the district's leadership. She believes the audit validates her long-standing calls for the resignation of CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises.

“There has been no accountability under her leadership,” Pulley stated, emphasizing her disappointment with the district's operational practices.

Among the most alarming findings in the audit was the apparent failure to properly screen employees who work with children. The report indicated that out of 12 randomly selected employees hired since a 2019 law mandated background checks for potential child abuse claims, seven were not screened, representing nearly 60% of the sample.

Additionally, the audit revealed that between July 2021 and February 2023, the district failed to pay over 16,600 vendor invoices on time, amounting to more than $142 million in late payments. Each of these invoices was paid more than 90 days after the due date.

Pulley expressed her frustration, suggesting that accountability measures should extend to the district's leadership. “I feel like some criminal charges need to be brought up on somebody inside of Baltimore City school systems,” she said.

The audit also highlighted issues with police overtime management within the school system. This follows a previous investigation into City Schools Police, where an officer was indicted for fraudulently claiming overtime payments.

In response to the audit's findings, Baltimore City Schools declined to provide an interview but stated that they are addressing many of the identified issues and expect to improve in future audits.

“Proper accountability measures were taken to ensure an effective response,” the district's statement read.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).