A Queens principal who counts former Jay-Z manager Damon Dash and his wife as close pals turned her school into a slush fund for friends, whistleblowers charge.<\/p>\n
Aneesha Jacko of PS 35 Nathaniel Woodhull in Hollis has spent tens of thousands in taxpayer funds to buy books published by pals, hired others as consultants, and boldly touted their brands on a sprawling lobby mural that is practically a billboard, staffers said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt absolutely blows my mind that she is still allowed to run our school,\u201d a faculty member said of the principal, who took PS 35\u2019s helm in October 2020.<\/p>\n
PS 35 Principal Aneesha Jacko is under scrutiny for purchases with school funds, including $10,000 for clothing from music mogul Damon Dash\u2019s company, Poppington, and hundreds of books by his wife, Raquel Horn. Obtained by NY Post<\/p>\n
The Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools has been probing complaints about Jacko\u2019s spending for more than three years, spokesman Jason Brooks confirmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe case is still open, and therefore the SCI cannot comment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Officials have not accused Jacko of any criminal wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
The SCI issued a report in 2022, faulting Jacko for granting excess overtime to a teacher she favored, costing $10,500 in improper payments. <\/p>\n
The independent agency referred three other complaints to the city Department of Education to investigate.<\/p>\n
PS Principal Aneesha Jacko, at right, used taxpayer funds to buy 1,285 books authored by a friend, Brianna Greenspan, left, in early 2022 at a cost of $61,000, records show. Whistleblowers complained to the city\u2019s Special Commissioner of Investigation.\u00a0 Obtained by NY Post<\/p>\n
Jacko\u2019s closest associates include Dash, who is Jay-Z<\/a>\u2019s ex-business partner and co-founder of\u00a0Roc-A-Fella Records<\/a>, and Dash\u2019s wife Raquel Horn.<\/p>\n Dash, a controversial figure who overcame drug dealing in his youth, recently filed for bankruptcy t<\/a>o avoid $5 million in lawsuit debts. <\/p>\n He currently owes New York $2.1 million in back taxes.<\/p>\n Horn last visited the 642-student PS 35 in February to celebrate her new book, \u201cDusko Goes to Sea.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Jacko used school funds to buy some 500 copies, which retail for $14.95 each in paperback, according to insiders familiar with the purchase. <\/p>\n In 2022, the school bought similar boxloads of Horn\u2019s first book, \u201cDusko Goes to Space.<\/a>\u201d <\/p>\n The total cost could not be learned.<\/p>\n Dash defended the purchases and blasted the SCI probe. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a budget for them to buy books. So why is it a problem?\u201d he asked The Post, saying PS 35 \u201ctested\u201d the books first and found them beneficial.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s a racist thing that she\u2019s even being looked at and scrutinized,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just because she\u2019s a black woman that has good reading scores for her kids and gets more for her money. She\u2019s trying to help these kids learn how to read.\u201d<\/p>\n Principal Aneesha Jacko had murals painted throughout the PS 35 lobby displaying the titles or words from friends\u2019 books that she bought by the hundreds, sparking a probe of her spending practices. Obtained by NY Post<\/p>\n On state reading exams last year, 40% of PS 35 students in grades 3 to 5 tested proficient, below the 47% citywide average, <\/a>the DOE reports.<\/a><\/p>\n On Jacko\u2019s Instagram account, the principal cites a \u201cpaid partnership\u201d with Poppington Clothing & Dame Dash Studios, the embattled mogul\u2019s apparel line and music company. <\/p>\n Dash said the studio dissolved several years ago, and no partnership exists.<\/p>\n Jacko used school funds to pay Poppington LLC $10,000 on March 9, 2022, according to school records reviewed by The Post. <\/p>\n The purchase was for t-shirts, Dash said, adding that he sold the clothes to Jacko at cost \u201cso she could get more for her money.\u201d<\/p>\n Staffers at PS 35 in Queens complained that Principal Aneesha Jacko purchased hundreds of books by friends, but \u201chardly buys any other books for children to read.\u201d A series of books titled \u201cEverything is Right About You\u201d \u2014 435 copies \u2014 piled up. Obtained by NY Post<\/p>\n Jacko\u2019s Instagram photos show the principal with Dash and Horn in social settings, including a birthday celebration at their home in Queens with the hash tag \u201cfamily\u201d in the caption, and a visit to a Legoland theme park with their kids.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, once you start doing business with somebody, you get to know them,\u201d Dash said. <\/p>\n \u201cSo we know her, but the only way we know her is from her educating us and telling us how to help her.\u201d<\/p>\n Dash said he met Jacko through education consultant Dennis McKesey, founder and CEO of In Our Best Interest, and Off School Grounds, companies working with principals to reform urban education.<\/p>\n School records show $49,100 in payments to In Our Best Interest LLC. in early 2022.<\/p>\n Staffers say Jacko hired McKesey at least two years in a row before the SCI probe began. <\/p>\n \u201cNobody knew what the hell he did for us,\u201d a teacher said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were no visible signs that this man was helping our school in any way. He was hardly ever there.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Jacko\u2019s Instagram page features many photos and videos suggesting a friendship with McKesey along with Dash.<\/p>\n The OSG website \u2013 currently down \u2013 promoted Jacko\u2019s book, \u201cAudacity to Speak: Finding the Power to Be Your Most Authentic Self,\u201d <\/a>which she self-published in 2022.<\/p>\n McKesey declined to comment on his role at the school.<\/p>\n