Toronto public school board catches $88,500 fraud without a huge scandal
A we-assume-formerly respected principal, teacher and baseball coach from Martingrove Collegiate in Etobicoke has been charged with theft and fraud. Terry Baytor, whose mustachioed mug has since moved from the public board to a cushy private school gig, apparently pocketed $72,000 from an account that was supposed to be for student fundraising. Of that, he paid himself $16,000.
According to the Toronto Star:
The 58-year-old Brampton resident was principal of Martingrove from September 2002 until he retired in December 2009. He is currently principal of Everest Academy, a private school in Thornhill.
An Everest spokeswoman reached Monday evening said they are “shocked.”
“The founder of this school . . . went out and got the best principal that he could possibly get,” the spokeswoman said. “We’re absolutely shocked right now.”
A man who spoke from behind a closed door at Baytor’s Brampton home declined to comment.
How could something like this happen? A board lawyer tells the National Post, “We trust senior officials to follow the rules, and it’s very much an honour system,” which totally makes everyone feel better about all this.
Letting anyone manage tens of thousands of dollars in cash on the honour system is probably a pretty bad idea, but at least the TDSB noticed the fraud, investigated and turned the matter over to the police with some efficiency. The incident is in stark contrast to the situation at Toronto’s Catholic schools, where conflicts of interest and dubious spending by board members continue to cast a pall over the separate school board.
So while we can cheer some relatively speedy work by the public board, could somebody maybe figure out a better method for managing that money than the honour system? We’d like to go back to buying fundraiser chocolate bars in peace.
• Principal charged with stealing student funds [Toronto Star]
• Former principal charged with stealing $90K from school [National Post]
• Principal charged in theft of nearly $90,000 from student funds [Globe and Mail]
• High school principal allegedly steals $88,500 from students [Digital Journal]
• Principal stole thousands from students: police [CBC News]
• Former Martingrove principal charged with theft, fraud [CBC News]
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A we-assume-formerly respected principal, teacher and baseball coach from Martingrove Collegiate in Etobicoke has been charged with theft and fraud. Terry Baytor, whose mustachioed mug has since moved from the public board to a cushy private school gig, apparently pocketed $72,000 from an account that was supposed to be for student fundraising. Of that, he paid himself $16,000.
According to the Toronto Star:
The 58-year-old Brampton resident was principal of Martingrove from September 2002 until he retired in December 2009. He is currently principal of Everest Academy, a private school in Thornhill.
An Everest spokeswoman reached Monday evening said they are “shocked.”
“The founder of this school . . . went out and got the best principal that he could possibly get,” the spokeswoman said. “We’re absolutely shocked right now.”
A man who spoke from behind a closed door at Baytor’s Brampton home declined to comment.
How could something like this happen? A board lawyer tells the National Post, “We trust senior officials to follow the rules, and it’s very much an honour system,” which totally makes everyone feel better about all this.
Letting anyone manage tens of thousands of dollars in cash on the honour system is probably a pretty bad idea, but at least the TDSB noticed the fraud, investigated and turned the matter over to the police with some efficiency. The incident is in stark contrast to the situation at Toronto’s Catholic schools, where conflicts of interest and dubious spending by board members continue to cast a pall over the separate school board.
So while we can cheer some relatively speedy work by the public board, could somebody maybe figure out a better method for managing that money than the honour system? We’d like to go back to buying fundraiser chocolate bars in peace.
• Principal charged with stealing student funds [Toronto Star]
• Former principal charged with stealing $90K from school [National Post]
• Principal charged in theft of nearly $90,000 from student funds [Globe and Mail]
• High school principal allegedly steals $88,500 from students [Digital Journal]
• Principal stole thousands from students: police [CBC News]
• Former Martingrove principal charged with theft, fraud [CBC News]){kind=link}
he would be a front runner for MOVEMBER
While you’re cheering on the TDSB, maybe you could stop and reflect for a moment how they created the problem.
By starving the system of funds for such “frills” as drama and instrumental music, the Board forces the creation of informal pots of “fundraising” cash completely outside the financial controls of the official system. If a Principal manages to skim off some cash from a fund for field trips and uses it to buy books or sheet music or stage makeup that the Board won’t pay for, you can’t expect he’s going to leave a big paper trail and keep proper books. It’s a juggling act, and Terry Baytor knew how to do the juggling.
If he pocketed any of the money for his own personal gain, that’s one thing. But in the absence of proof of that, I will assume it all went to the purposes of helping the school’s vital activities survive the financial crunch imposed by the province and the Board.
terry Baytor was not the only principal to do this.
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http://eci.lefora.com/forum/category/news/
Baytor is a sociopath who Engaged in premeditated theft from the MCI parents and students, and TDSB, over a 4-5 year period. He NEVER returned a single dollar UNTIL HE WAS CAUGHT!
He’s a delusional sociopath who plead guilty, but turned around to say he is a great role model for children! As the judge said, ‘No Mr. baytor, role models don’t steal!’. while sitting on his ass at home, in his comfy chair, eating home cooking, and feeling sorry for himself, Baytor is still in denial!
the judge should have required him to spend time in jail, and to be required to make FULL repayment, and MOST IMPORTANTLY he should have been required to issue a public satement of apology….because he really really doesn’t get it….!!!!!!!!
Hey folks, May possibly be the U.S. much better off keeping Syria’s Assad?