Athens school board votes to affirm director's placement on leave after federal indictment
Feb. 25—ATHENS — The Athens City Board of Education today affirmed the superintendent's placing the director of planning on paid administrative leave.
Director of Planning Rick Carter and five others had been indicted for conspiring to profit from fraudulently enrolling private school students in public virtual schools.
The board adopted, 6-0, a motion recommended by Superintendent Beth Patton, which she read:
"In light of the allegations from the grand jury indictment, and the related circumstances, I move that the superintendent continue to make system employees and resources available to fully cooperate with federal and state officials, and that it is in the proper interest of the school system to affirm the superintendent's placement of Rick Carter on administrative leave with suspension of all school system duties, expenses, and tasks, except as required by law, pending further recommendations from the superintendent."
Carter was named in a federal indictment with former Athens superintendent Trey Holladay and his wife Deborah, a former Athens City Schools teacher, and former Limestone County superintendent Tom Sisk. Also indicted were David Webb Tutt and Gregory "Greg" Earl Corkren, both described in the indictment as longtime friends of Trey Holladay.
The indictment accuses the defendants of conspiring to fraudulently enroll students in the districts' public virtual schools and falsely reporting the students to the Alabama Department of Education and, as a result, the districts received payments from the state's Education Trust Fund as if the students had attended the virtual schools. The defendants, according to the indictment, received portions of the state money.
Carter was previously director of innovative programs and principal of Athens High School. A tenured employee, Carter's annual salary is $122,766.
Patton also read from a statement released to the media on Wednesday, saying that Carter was placed on leave upon reviewing the allegations against him.
"The Athens City Schools community including this board and myself are shocked and very concerned to read Tuesday's release from the U.S. Attorney's office," Patton said.
During the investigation, "we have complied with everything that has been asked of us and we're continuing to do that," board president Russell Johnson said after the meeting. He had no further comment on the case.
All six defendants are charged with conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud. Trey Holladay, Carter and Corkren are charged with aggravated identity theft for allegedly obtaining confidential student information to assist in the scheme.
The Holladays have denied the charges through their attorney.
— marian.accardi@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438. Twitter @DD_MAccardi.
