State Rep. Abigail Salisbury is urging the Pennsylvania Department of Education to audit the Woodland Hills School District after she says reports of fraud, waste and abuse went untouched. “I have asked them at this point to conduct an audit. I am hopeful that in the near future they will be beginning that process,” Salisbury told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Thursday.Salisbury has taken numerous complaints to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, with concerns centered on the misuse of district funds and violations of district policy.”I think regardless of how the audit comes out — perhaps it will come out that everything is absolutely fine, everything is as it should be. But at this point, there have been so many community members speaking out that they want something to be done, that they want an investigation, that I think that we have to have one,” Salisbury said.After Salisbury’s initial calls for an investigation last month, Woodland Hills Board President Terri Lawson stated the district has no information indicating misappropriation of public money.Lawson was recently terminated from her position as manager in the borough of Rankin, but the solicitor declined to comment on the reasoning, only saying that no charges had been filed.Parent Natalie Watson addressed her concerns directly to Lawson at a board meeting, saying, “Transparency has been an ongoing request. Terri Lawson, is it true that you were fired from your position as Rankin borough manager due to misappropriation of funds, and are you currently being investigated by the Rankin solicitor?”Lawson replied, “No, I am not.”Watson also questioned the situation, saying, “You have a president of the board saying we don’t need any investigation. Yet that same person, the president of the board, has been removed as the borough manager from Rankin under very questionable circumstances.”Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reached out to Lawson, who has not responded to questions regarding these issues. Meanwhile, the superintendent remains on paid administrative leave, and the district’s solicitor said he was unable to discuss why.
CHURCHILL, Pa. —
State Rep. Abigail Salisbury is urging the Pennsylvania Department of Education to audit the Woodland Hills School District after she says reports of fraud, waste and abuse went untouched.
“I have asked them at this point to conduct an audit. I am hopeful that in the near future they will be beginning that process,” Salisbury told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Thursday.
Salisbury has taken numerous complaints to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, with concerns centered on the misuse of district funds and violations of district policy.
“I think regardless of how the audit comes out — perhaps it will come out that everything is absolutely fine, everything is as it should be. But at this point, there have been so many community members speaking out that they want something to be done, that they want an investigation, that I think that we have to have one,” Salisbury said.
After Salisbury’s initial calls for an investigation last month, Woodland Hills Board President Terri Lawson stated the district has no information indicating misappropriation of public money.
Lawson was recently terminated from her position as manager in the borough of Rankin, but the solicitor declined to comment on the reasoning, only saying that no charges had been filed.
Parent Natalie Watson addressed her concerns directly to Lawson at a board meeting, saying, “Transparency has been an ongoing request. Terri Lawson, is it true that you were fired from your position as Rankin borough manager due to misappropriation of funds, and are you currently being investigated by the Rankin solicitor?”
Lawson replied, “No, I am not.”
Watson also questioned the situation, saying, “You have a president of the board saying we don’t need any investigation. Yet that same person, the president of the board, has been removed as the borough manager from Rankin under very questionable circumstances.”
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reached out to Lawson, who has not responded to questions regarding these issues. Meanwhile, the superintendent remains on paid administrative leave, and the district’s solicitor said he was unable to discuss why.