Each member of the board of directors overseeing Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools in Sacramento either resigned or was removed weeks after the release of a report by the California State Auditor that found the school improperly received over $180 million in education funding.
In addition, the report, published June 24, says the adult charter school engaged in “questionable financial transactions” and conflicts of interest, including unlawful gifts, luxury travel and the hiring of unqualified individuals. The school avoided accountability for student progress and did not conduct standardized testing of students.
The Sacramento charter school board resigned after a state audit showed the school misused $180 million in taxpayer funding. They gave six-figure jobs to relatives, had fake students, and misrepresented attendance. They gave lucrative contracts out to their “star,” one Mr. King (see below).
And it’s a school for adults that received K-12 funding they weren’t eligible to receive.
They Knew in 2018
The most remarkable thing is they got away with this since 2018 when they first went under scrutiny.
The audit report says multiple agencies are to blame for the lack of action since the 2018 report, including the charter’s authorizer, Twin Rivers Unified, the Sacramento County Office of Education and the California Department of Education.
“Twin Rivers conducted only minimal annual oversight of Highlands, and instead relied heavily on annual audits that we found had inaccuracies,” said California State Auditor Grant Parks in the report. “If Twin Rivers had conducted more thorough oversight, it could have identified some of the violations we identified as part of our audit and taken action to address them earlier.”
Star Power Crooks
The Sacramento-based Highlands Community Charter School boasted star power across its hundreds of employees: an influential Black community leader, a retired police chief and a former Sacramento Kings player.
Those employees, designated as “special projects coordinator” in 2023, included Jay King, the president of the California Black Chamber of Commerce; Daniel Hahn, Sacramento Police Department’s chief for four years starting from 2017; and basketball player Harold Pressley, according to payroll records.
Now, documents obtained by The Sacramento Bee shed new light on the employment of King and how Highlands awarded him lucrative contracts for his radio business separate from his six-figure salary.
The California Black Chamber of Commerce received $583,712 from 2020 until 2024 across event sponsorships, underwriting radio programs hosted by King and other payments, according to a ledger of expenses from Highlands Community Charter School obtained by The Bee.
Some people need to go to jail and pay back the money.
Ringleaders included a black community leader, a black retired police chief, and a black NBA player. I’m trying to spot a pattern, but if there is one, it’s eluding me.
Where there are Democrats, there is corruption.
I wonder how they thought this would go undetected. And, why the crooks resigned so easily, which indicates guilt.
Is there anyone in that state with the integrity to prosecute? Wouldn’t there be people in Sacramento receiving kickbacks from the crooks?