Schools Trustee Presses for Probe

A member of the Ventura County Board of Education this week called for a board-led investigation into alleged mismanagement in the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Office.

At Monday night’s board meeting, Trustee Marty Bates called for the probe into allegations raised last February by two teachers.

The accusations, which include the alleged mishandling of $8 million in state education funds, sparked two investigations, one by the Ventura County grand jury and the other by the superintendent’s office.

“I believe that we do not have all the answers we need,” Bates said. “I think that it’s time this board get some direct answers. I believe we have an obligation to find out the truth.”

Supt. Charles Weis, the target of the allegations, denied any wrongdoing and said he stood by the results of the recently released internal investigation.

That investigation revealed that the office failed to comply with state educational policy on the use of independent study versus in-classroom instruction at McBride School, a county Juvenile Hall facility, and thereby misused the estimated $8 million in funding.

“I believe the internal report to be accurate,” Weis said. “We freely admit there are things to be corrected, but it serves no good use for this board to launch another investigation. I think it’s time we move forward.”

Weis faulted the Ventura County grand jury report as well-intentioned, but flawed in its scope and some conclusions.

Last week, Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael Bradbury announced that an investigation by his office concluded that there was no criminal wrongdoing on the part of the superintendent’s office.

Bates said he will request that the board place the matter on its July 31 meeting agenda for consideration.