Aneesha Jacko, principal of P.S. 35 Nathaniel Woodhull in Hollis, Queens, is underneath investigation for allegedly misusing taxpayer cash to profit her private community, together with former Roc-A-Fella Information co-founder Damon Sprint and his spouse, Raquel Horn. Whistleblowers allege Jacko has spent tens of 1000’s of public {dollars} on purchases and contracts linked to her pals, whereas selling their manufacturers all through the college.
Information present Jacko used faculty funds to purchase roughly 500 copies of Horn’s Dusko Goes to Sea at $14.95 every, following comparable bulk purchases of Horn’s first e-book, Dusko Goes to Area. She additionally paid Sprint’s firm, Poppington LLC, $10,000 in March 2022 for T-shirts, a purchase order Sprint later claimed was offered “at value.” As well as, Jacko approved $49,100 in funds to schooling guide Dennis McKesey’s agency, In Our Finest Curiosity LLC, and $61,000 to Sussman Schooling Inc. for greater than 1,200 books authored by her good friend Brianna Greenspan. Staffers say Jacko even spent faculty funds to purchase about 100 copies of fellow Delta Sigma Theta member A. McClarty’s Reaching for the Stars for fourth graders.
The principal additionally put in a big mural within the faculty foyer that options the titles and logos of books and types tied to Sprint, Horn, Greenspan, McClarty, and McKesey, which critics say quantities to taxpayer-funded promoting. “That is free commercial in your pals with taxpayer {dollars},” one employees member mentioned.
The Particular Commissioner of Investigation has been reviewing complaints in opposition to Jacko for greater than three years. A 2022 report beforehand discovered she improperly approved $10,500 in extra time to a well-liked instructor. Whereas Jacko has not been charged, the probe stays open. Sprint has defended her actions, calling the scrutiny “racist” and saying, “She’s a Black girl making an attempt to assist youngsters learn.”
Regardless of the controversy, Division of Schooling officers have declined to remark, whereas school members say they concern retaliation for talking out.
