NYC School Employees Used Homeless Student Tickets For Family Trips To Disney World

Six employees of New York City’s public school system misused tickets meant for homeless students, taking their children or grandchildren on trips to destinations like Disney World, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Broadway shows, according to a new investigative report. These trips were originally intended as enrichment experiences for students living in shelters or temporary housing, said Anastasia Coleman, the special commissioner of investigation for New York City schools.

Linda Wilson’s Role in the Misuse of Funds

Linda Wilson, the Queens regional manager responsible for students in temporary housing, was a key figure in the scheme. She allegedly took her own children on these trips, which were funded by grants meant for homeless students. Wilson is also accused of encouraging her subordinates to do the same, while cautioning them to remain silent about it. According to one staff member, Wilson reportedly said, “What happens here stays with us.”

Wilson Denies Allegations

Wilson, in response to the accusations, denied bringing her children on trips or encouraging her staff to do so. When contacted by the New York Post, she called the special commissioner’s investigation “a witch hunt.”

Investigation Triggered by Whistleblower

The investigation began after a whistleblower complaint was filed in March 2019. The probe focused on trips that took place between 2016 and 2019. Although the special commissioner’s office completed the report in January 2023, it was not released to the public until September 9, 2024, due to pending administrative actions.

Falsified Permission Slips and Mismanagement

The report revealed that Wilson forged permission slips to bring family members on the trips and bypassed the Department of Education’s oversight by using an external agency to handle travel bookings. Some trips, which were labeled as college tours, never actually involved campus visits. Witnesses reported that during a June 2018 trip, Wilson, her daughter, and other staff members, along with their children, had lunch at Syracuse University but skipped the tour to visit Niagara Falls instead.

Recommendations and Current Status of Employees

The special commissioner’s office recommended that Wilson and other implicated staff members be fired and required to reimburse the school system for the personal trips. Wilson, however, told the New York Post that she had retired and was not fired.

Department of Education’s Response

Jenna Lyle, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, confirmed in a statement, “All staff identified in this report are no longer employed by New York City Public Schools.”