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Accusations And Counter-Accusations At Alexandria Schools

By: Michael Pope // March 14, 2012
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Alexandria School Superintendent Morton Sherman.  
Louise Krafft / Alexandria Gazette
Alexandria School Superintendent Morton Sherman.  

Alexandria school superintendent Morton Sherman is fighting to keep his job in the wake of a scathing auditor's report.

An independent auditor's report released Friday afternoon concluded that the budget office at Alexandria City Public Schools suffered from what it called a "dysfunctional environment," with contracts being approved that hadn't been budgeted and School Board members provided with inaccurate information. Already two senior level officials have resigned, and Vice Mayor Kerry Donley says another head should roll.

"It's my opinion that the superintendent should resign," said Donley.

School Board Chairwoman Sheryl Gorsuch says she's disappointed in the vice mayor for speaking out in public rather than handling the issue in a closed executive session.

"I think he needs to remember how the School Board members handled their opinions last summer regarding the problems on the city side."

When two city employees were charged with embezzlement last year, Gorsuch says, School Board members stopped short of calling for resignations.

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