Posted on 02/12/2025 4:42:35 AM PST by LouAvul
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — It was supposed to be the end of a very long wait, the release of a state audit report on TPS that took two years. Anticipation couldn't be any higher, or so we thought.
"The audit is complete and the findings are significant, but you’re not allowed to see them," said State Auditor Cindy Byrd, dropping a bombshell that TPS officials asked for a hold on the report's release.
"Attorneys acting on behalf of the Tulsa Superintendent and the Tulsa school board have invoked Oklahoma statute 70 sec 5-127.1. This statute allows school districts the unique ability to deny the public access to the audit findings for two weeks," she said.
TPS then countered by saying, "Tulsa Public Schools did not pursue any legal action...(but that under the statute) ... a school district under audit may work in cooperation with the State Auditor’s office to offer any clarifying information or additional context...
But if you were to ask the state auditor about "cooperation?"
"If you are wondering why this audit took two years to complete it is because of the constant obstacles that TPS administrators employed to delay and mislead our investigators," she said.
"I’m going to tell you something, Cindy Byrd is as thorough as they come," said Tulsa County GOP Chair Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, not too keen on TPS's delay.
"They’re going to end up with egg on their face and it’s going to make the school district look even more guilty because they’re not cooperating," she said.
But again from TPS..."As we await the final report and supporting documents from the State Auditor’s office, we will continue to work in the cooperative spirit that Tulsa Public Schools has exercised since July of 2022."
"To be clear, the Tulsa school board and the Tulsa Superintendent have the power to let you see the audit report and its findings right now. They have chosen not to," said Byrd.
Full statement from TPS - - -
"Today, Tulsa Public Schools and members of its Board of Education met with representatives of the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector’s Office to receive the results of the audit of the district. During these meetings, the state auditor’s office offered an overview of their anticipated findings.
Tulsa Public Schools did not pursue any legal action in response to the state auditor’s scheduled media appearance or report release. In fact, the district was made aware of the auditor’s plans via media reports. The statute (70 O.S., 5-127.1) in question provides for “at least fourteen (14) days prior to the release of the audit to the public.” During that time, a school district under audit may work in cooperation with the State Auditor’s office to offer any clarifying information or additional context that would be important for its stakeholders to have a full understanding of the facts. Additionally, the district does not have the full audit report, has not seen it, and does not make the decision when (or when not) to release it.
As we await the final report and supporting documents from the State Auditor’s office, we will continue to work in the cooperative spirit that Tulsa Public Schools has exercised since July of 2022. During that time, the district has welcomed the opportunity to revise and improve our practices and procedures and will continue to operate in a spirit of continuous improvement.
In fact, Tulsa Public Schools has already refined and strengthened most of the areas raised by the state auditor’s office in their narrative today. Our primary focus has been, and remains, working on behalf of the young people we serve."
But some districts, like Tulsa, are every bit as inept and corrupt as our federal stooges.
“Yeah, uh, did you see the memo?...”
If you could add that cover sheet ... that would be great.
Just like DC. What difference does 2 weeks mean. Then Stitt fires the State Board of Education. What will we see when this all comes together.
Wasn’t Tulsa paying people to move there?
I have a relative that was glad to leave Tulsa.
They’re living on Tulsa time. It’s different there.
Another TPS report????
“Wasn’t Tulsa paying people to move there?”
The payment didn’t come out of taxpayer money. That initiative was financed by a local foundation.
A local government entity’s ineptitude and corruption only affects that small area. Ineptitude and corruption in Washington affects the whole country.
TPS has all the marks of failure. It does not take watching many interviews of staff there to make that conclusion. The scores of students cement the appearance of failure.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.