The former principal of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College middle and high school went on a wild spending spree with a taxpayer-funded credit card blowing $175,000, then was later promoted, reports the Denver Gazette.
When Kimberly Grayson’s bosses at Denver Public Schools found out, they took away her card, but then gave it back. More questionable spending ensued as she continued to collect her $200,000 salary.
In just one school year, she bought 2,400 items, including more than 100 dolls, $2,000 in toys, $1,280 for candles and scented oils, a dozen Netflix subscriptions, nine genetic test kits, $600 in yoga lessons, and she paid off someone’s $6,000 graduate school tuition.
She also bought a Michael Kors handbag, Dallas Cowboys gear, a half dozen under-desk treadmills, and an inflatable man.
“DPS is hoping to learn the scope of this alleged misuse of public funds,” DPS spokesman Will Jones told The Gazette. “Any dollar not used for the students’ benefit impacts the district’s ability to provide more for our students.”
Jones refused to offer additional details about the inquiry or how the school district handled any discipline tied to it.
Grayson has filed for bankruptcy three times since 2000, the most recent was last year when she disclosed more than $430,000 in debt that includes a $255,000 student loan and more than $128,000 in back taxes to the federal and state government.
PeakNation™ will remember Grayson resigned in August and is in a dispute with DPS over a school-produced podcast on racial justice called “Know Justice, Know Peace” that Grayson seems to think is her property, and not the school’s.
On Aug. 24, the district’s deputy general counsel wrote former Dr. Martin Luther King Early College Principal Kimberly Grayson, demanding that she withdraw her use of the “Know Justice, Know Peace” business name and registration with the state, and no longer use that on any social media accounts such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
“As a former DPS principal, we appreciate your efforts to advocate for a more inclusive curriculum at Denver Public Schools and to encourage Denver Public Schools students to share their perspectives about racial justice,” the letter said. “However, we have to be diligent to ensure that DPS trademarks are used correctly and take appropriate steps to avoid consumer confusion about the source of DPS branded products and services.”
PeakNation™ will also recall that it was board Vice President Auon’tai “Tay” Anderson who rushed to her defense and claimed her as an exemplary school leader.
She might be, but she’s terrible with money, especially the taxpayers’.
She was also investigated for allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation against employees, and Denver DA Beth McCann is allegedly now investigating the financial mess.
The Gazette did a bang up job uncovering all this and there’s even more to Grayson’s story. Read it all here.