Charleston Co. Schools Administrator Terminated Over Mismanagement of Funds

Charleston Co. Schools Administrator Terminated Over Mismanagement of Funds

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A top-tier administrator in the Charleston County School District was dismissed from his position after an external investigation found him guilty of mishandling federal funds and jeopardizing sensitive employee data. The offender, John Cobb, formerly served as the executive director of federal programs where his primary role was in sanctioning expenditures for programs sustained by federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Emergency Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.

Investigation Findings

Cobb was principally responsible for overseeing a substantial $163 million fund that affects 87 schools. His official duties were put to a halt on Monday when Superintendent Anita Huggins delivered him a termination notice elucidating the results of an investigation that kick-started in April. Notably, Cobb lodged an official grievance after the investigation’s commencement, alleging the creation of a hostile work environment by Huggins and others. However, the investigators ruled these allegations groundless.

The termination letter states, “The investigation found that you, as the primary individual responsible for the management of these funds, demonstrated poor leadership and a lack of planning and oversight.” This inquiry was propelled into action after several districts reported their vendors to Huggins over unpaid bills.

District leadership initiated an investigation into allegations concerning the misapplication of ESSER funds shared with the District,” the letter states.

Upon releasing the report, it was discovered that Cobb had unnecessarily deferred payments to vendors, denied expenses that were already authorized by the school board, and gradually became challenging to reach out to. Moreover, Cobb was observed to slack on responding to emails from teachers and staff about inquiries related to ESSER funds, often providing insufficient or incorrect information when he did respond.

“Your negligence with regard to processing these funds created the unapproved use of funds that impacted the District’s General Operating Fund in excess of $3 million,” Superintendent Huggins writes. “Your actions, or lack thereof, placed the District in a position of legal exposure.”

Sensitive Information at Risk

Furthermore, the investigation uncovered that Cobb’s actions presented a threat to the personal data of nearly 7,000 employees. According to the report, Cobb transferred approximately 2,200 district emails to a personal account since June of 2012. One such email contained sensitive information about payroll and benefits. It has been clarified that Social Security Numbers were not compromised. The exact particulars of the affected employees are unclear, but a source confirmed that at least one teacher was in the dark about this incident.

Cobb has been given a window of 15 days to appeal his dismissal. He has not yet made any comments.

The present event has brought to light the need for stronger regulations and oversight mechanisms to prevent such abuses and uphold transparency and accountability in influential organizations.