Lancaster ISD superintendent should be held more accountable for credit card use

by Cynthia Corbin

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I was just wondering why Lancaster ISD superintendent Dr. Larry Lewis would give away a car with a 3-year lease and a couple of cruises when our children did not have books, toilet paper, and enough class seats in the schools. All year long, we heard teachers complain about no copier paper, books or the supplies needed in order to conduct a proper class. My daughter’s Spanish teacher told me she did not have enough books for the students and students were having to stand in her classroom. She said she could not conduct classes properly.

I also want to know why no one has addressed the past CFO, Eugene Smith, who has been given a prison sentence. Why is no one questioning the missing money and Mr. Smith disappearance although he is living in a $400,000+ house in Grand Prairie? Dr. Lewis says that he did not know him. However, if you do not know him, how can he be in your wedding party years before? I think Dr. Lewis needs to take responsibility for Mr. Smith’s actions. The district needs to start filing criminal charges against Mr. Smith and anybody else involved.

Here's a thought. Dr. Lewis says in two years the district's only credit card, with him being the only user, managed to charge $265,000. Assuming he works through the summer but takes Saturdays and Sundays off, that's $500 a day. Travel and "allowable education expenses" he says. But can you imagine trying to spend $500 every day, trying to see which ideas are "allowable" and which ones aren't? Trying to figure out what budget line and code to put each day's expenses under? (Is this "travel" or "continuing education"? Maybe it's "community relations," hmmmm.) $500 a day OVER his pay, OVER his car allowance, OVER the cost of him driving the district's big Suburban when he wants to go someplace and OVER all his insurance, retirement, and everything else. And he never needs to come to the board for a review. He is the only authority for that $500 per day. And every dime, he says, is an allowable educational expense. That is a big claim.

Finally, since the audit has come out and Dr. Lewis thinks that the district financial problems are minor, I think we need to do more to educate him and the community about all of our financial problems. I think everything needs to be put out in the open. Let’s start by utilizing an online check register and canceling all of the district credit cards. Our children need all available resources in order to obtain a quality education!

This article was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community.

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Anonymous

Lewis is once again trying to gloss over the problems at LISD. It seems appropriate that Cedar Valley College is now playing "The Music Man" as Dr. Lewis could play the part very well. He never gives a straight answer and dances over all the problems.

At least in the district, we have a new board of trustees and new leadership and it is imperative that this board not be hoodwinked by him as the last president was. They will need to seek out the truth concerning budgets, personnel and programs. Hopefully these new members have the intestinal fortitude to do what is best for Lancaster and our schools.

estherspeaks Anonymous

1 year, 5 months ago
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According to an article in the Dallas Morning News posted at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday evening, it has not definitely been decided that a conservator will be coming to Lancaster.

We know this. Carolyn Morris stated with a high degree of credibility that a TEA official definitely told her a conservator would be coming to Lancaster. She named the time and the person with whom she spoke.

By Lewis' own words, he spoke with TEA officials Wednesday after Morris' conversation on Tuesday. He wouldn't reveal the name of the person with whom he spoke or the substance of his conversation. The position of the TEA apparently changed after Larry Lewis spoke with the TEA.

We, the public need a complete transcript of the conversation between Larry Lewis and the TEA official with whom he spoke. Then we need to know who communicated with the TEA spokespersons to develop the spin that the TEA gave to press.

Finally, the TEA speaks through a spokesperson, not through the TEA official who spoke to Carolyn Morris. We need to know what Ron Rowell is now saying. We need to hear it straight from him, not through a TEA spinmeister.

Because Carolyn Morris named the person with whom she spoke and the time, she is the most credible. Lewis' silence on the details of his conversation with TEA officials makes him less credible. When the TEA speaks through a spokesperson instead of through the official with whom Carolyn Morris spoke, it has the appearance of spin.

Anyway, apparently a definite decision has apparently not been made to send a conservator to Lancaster.

It seems to me that from now on, we are going to all have to start recording our conversations with government officials, so that these government officials can't backpedal and deny what they said.

This is starting to stink.

As for Lewis' saying he's praying to God to bring this community together, he has used God words for too long to manipulate people in this community. He's going to be unmasked, and the soonner the better.

Just think of the people who have used God words to manipulate people in the past. Jim and Tammy Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton, Jim Jones. The list is endless. The truth is going to come out eventually. Lewis can't hide behind his mask forever.