Six New York City Department of Education employees, including Linda Wilson, the regional manager for the Queens Students in Temporary Housing program, are accused of using city funds meant for homeless students to bring their own families on trips to Disney World and other destinations between 2016 and 2019. While some students were brought on these trips as well, investigators found that spots were taken up by the employees’ family members. Wilson allegedly forged permission slips in students’ names to skirt the rules against bringing family on trips, and scheduled some of the trips under the guise of visiting colleges when they actually visited other destinations, such as Niagara Falls.
The investigation found that Wilson encouraged her colleagues to bring their families on these city-funded excursions and instructed them to lie to investigators about taking their children on the trips. Wilson cancelled a planned visit to Philadelphia in 2018 after learning that someone had reported their actions to others within the DOE. The other employees accused of bringing family members on these trips include Program Manager Shaquieta Boyd, Family Assistant Joanne Castro, Family Assistant Mishawn Jack, Family Assistant Virgen Ramos, and Community Coordinator Maria Sylvester. The employees blamed Wilson for instructing them to bring their families on these trips and to lie to investigators about it.
In light of the investigation’s findings, the Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI) recommended that all six employees be terminated and pay restitution to the DOE. However, the cases were not referred for criminal prosecution due to the lack of available documentation. The employees were accused of depriving disadvantaged children of the opportunity to go on these trips intended for them, as city funds were used to bring employees’ family members instead. Wilson, in particular, was accused of taking her two daughters on these city-funded excursions while pretending that the trips were for the benefit of students in temporary housing.
The alleged misuse of city funds by these employees highlights the lack of oversight and accountability within the New York City Department of Education. Employees were able to bring their own families on trips meant for homeless students and lie about it, without facing criminal prosecution. The SCI’s recommendation for termination and restitution may serve as a deterrent for future misconduct, but more stringent measures need to be implemented to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. It is essential to prioritize the needs and rights of disadvantaged students, especially those experiencing homelessness, to ensure that funds allocated for their benefit are used appropriately and effectively.
