Six New York City Department of Education (DOE) employees allegedly used forged permission slips to take their own children and grandchildren on taxpayer-funded trips meant for homeless students. According to a report by the Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI), these trips included visits to Disney World, Washington, D.C., and other destinations from 2016 to 2019.
Linda M. Wilson, a DOE supervisor overseeing “Students in Temporary Housing,” took her daughters on these trips and encouraged colleagues to bring their own family members, according to the report. Despite rules prohibiting family members on such excursions, the employees filled slots meant for homeless children with their own kids.
Wilson and other staff used the names of homeless students to fabricate permission slips and forge signatures. The trips, paid for with a $300,000 federal grant, were intended to help homeless students improve their attendance and academic performance. Wilson retired from the DOE, denying the allegations, while some staff were terminated, including Mishawn Jack, who agreed to pay a fine after admitting to misusing slots for personal trips. Jack also reached a settlement with the Conflicts of Interest Board.
