Principal Moved to New Post Pending Audit of Funds

The principal of San Fernando Elementary School was reassigned Tuesday amid allegations she spent thousands of dollars in school district money to buy personal items such as appliances and food.

Candida Fernandez, in her seventh year as head of the 1,150-pupil school, will work in an administrative position away from campus until the district completes an internal audit, said Maria Reza, who oversees Los Angeles Unified School District campuses in the east San Fernando Valley.

District auditors last year could not account for as much as $30,000 in items--including a washing machine, videocassette recorder, coffee and food--that were purchased with school funds, said district sources who reviewed the audit.

Fernandez Tuesday denied misusing any school money but would not comment about the missing items. She instead accused the district of mishandling its audit.

“It’s unfortunate, it’s a shock to me,” she said. “In all the years of working with the district and giving your heart and soul to it, they treat you like this.”

Fernandez said she responded in writing to the audit on Jan. 29 but had not heard a response until 4 p.m. Monday, when she was told she was being removed from the campus.

District officials said they are reviewing her written explanations before deciding whether to turn the matter over to police.

The district audit last year examined expenditures in three school accounts. Auditors found that the missing items were purchased with money from two campus accounts earmarked for student body expenses and school supplies, sources said. The student body accounts also include donations and money earned through student fund-raisers.

The third account audited--the federally funded cafeteria account--did not have any discrepancies, sources said.

“I believe there have been serious concerns raised regarding the audit,” Reza said. “It was in the best interest of the district to reassign her--temporarily--pending the final outcome of the audit.”

Reza, who visited San Fernando Elementary on Tuesday, said Elva Reyes, an assistant principal, has replaced Fernandez as an acting administrator.

“Instruction keeps going--kids are learning,” Reza said.

Some parents voiced their support Tuesday for Fernandez, saying she has aggressively sought campus improvements and created special student programs. The missing items might be the result of school burglaries or the Northridge earthquake, which badly damaged the campus, the parents speculated.

“She’s done wonderful things for our children,” said Della Niblett, a teacher’s assistant and parent representative at the school. “We’re planning on supporting our principal to whatever level it takes.”

Niblett said parents are particularly upset that they were not informed until Tuesday about the reassignment.

The school is among the 190 campuses participating in the district’s LEARN reform program, which grants teachers, parents and staff members power to make decisions on spending and hiring.

School board member David Tokofsky, whose district includes San Fernando Elementary, said he is concerned about the principal’s rights. He said he will ask top district officials for a clear explanation about the audit.

“I’m afraid a lot of this stuff has to do too often with the institution’s protection--not the law or the individual,” Tokofsky said.

Senior district officials refused to comment on the audits or the Fernandez reassignment, saying they are confidential personnel issues.