According to a lawsuit brought forth by two former St. Paul Public Schools employees, Marie Schrul and Curtis Mahanay. Schrul was the former district chief financial officer, and Mahanay was the former business systems support manager. The lawsuit alleges that the district misappropriated federal COVID-relief funds.

"Uncover the Truth Behind St. Paul Public Schools' COVID-Fund Allegations"

Section 1: The Whistleblowers' Story

The lawsuit claims that Schrul and Mahanay were dismissed simply because they were raising concerns about the mismanagement of funds. Federal COVID-relief money, which was intended to provide much-needed support during the pandemic, has in many cases become a source of trouble rather than a benefit. In this case, the whistleblowers claim that the district used the funds for employee bonuses, perks, and to cover a budget shortfall of $43 million.This led to the former superintendent, Joe Gothard. The lawsuit alleges that Gothard invited 300 district leaders to an exclusive party where the food trucks alone cost taxpayers $10,000. Gifts purchased for employees were concealed by submitting false invoices, characterizing them as disinfectant. Even as in-person learning resumed, funds from the COVID lockdown were still being used for school lunch deliveries.

Section 2: Schrul's Concerns and Gothard's Response

Shrul, who had been with the district since 1998 until 2022, took her concerns to Gothard. However, instead of addressing the issues, Gothard suggested that she "get creative with her accounting" to continue the questionable purchases and shift them to the general fund. This shows a blatant disregard for proper financial management and accountability.Gothard served in St. Paul for seven years, which is about the average tenure for a superintendent. After leaving St. Paul, he moved to Madison, Wisconsin, and was recently named the American Association of School Administrators' 2024 Superintendent of the Year. It raises questions about the criteria for this award and whether Gothard's actions are truly worthy of such recognition.

Section 3: The Harding High School Incident

In 2023, a student, Devin Scott, was stabbed to death at Harding High School. The teachers at Harding were so afraid of retaliation that they had to remain anonymous when speaking out about the chaotic and dangerous learning environment. This incident highlights the broader issues within the school district and the need for proper leadership and oversight.It is unclear how much Gothard knew about the situation at Harding High School. There seems to be a small group of loyalists who followed him around, but there were no notable achievements in terms of improving the local learning curve. Instead, Gothard is perhaps best remembered for his well-groomed mustache and beard.

Section 4: The Alleged Retaliation

In their lawsuit, Schrul and Mahanay claim that they were fired for their vigilance in exposing the alleged pattern of retaliation. This is a common theme in many cases of corporate or public sector misconduct. When employees try to do the right thing and hold their employers accountable, they often face retaliation.In the case of St. Paul Public Schools, Gothard's people in Madison are shielding him from commenting on the lawsuit. This raises concerns about transparency and accountability within the school district. If the allegations are true, it is essential that those responsible be held accountable.