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1st reported by the Associated Press
How the Magic Kingdom Plan Went Off the Rails
A recent investigation has pulled back the curtain on a tale that even Mickey Mouse might find too fantastical; Educators Swap Homeless Students’ Disney Tickets. Six employees of New York City’s public school system reportedly took their own children and grandchildren on extravagant trips to Disney World, New Orleans, and other delightful locales using tickets that were meant for a far more noble cause: homeless students.
These trips, meant as enriching experiences for students living in shelters and other temporary housing, ventured to places like Washington, D.C., Boston, and even Broadway shows. The findings, as outlined by Anastasia Coleman, the special commissioner of investigation for New York City schools, suggest that the intended recipients—the students—were left on the sidelines while the grown-ups cashed in on the fun.
“What Happens Here Stays With Us”
Enter Linda Wilson, the Queens regional manager for the office that supports students in temporary housing. Wilson is reported to have taken her own children on these trips, funded by grants intended for homeless students. But why stop there? The report claims she even encouraged her staff to do the same—under one condition: hush, hush! “What happens here stays with us,” one staffer quoted Wilson as saying.
When contacted by the New York Post, Wilson emphatically denied bringing her daughters along or prompting her colleagues to do likewise, calling the probe nothing short of “a witch hunt.”
The Timeline of the Scandal
The investigation kicked off after a whistleblower complaint in March 2019. It took four long years for the truth to see daylight. Although the special commissioner’s report was completed in January 2023, it was held back until September 9 of this year due to “pending administrative actions.” Now, the beans have been spilled, and it’s quite a stew.
Who’s Really Paying for This Vacation?
According to the report, Wilson went as far as forging permission slips to bring family members on these jaunts and sidestepping Department of Education oversight by booking travel through an outside agency.
It raises the question: If these educators were so eager for a family trip, could they have afforded Disney tickets on their own dime? Or was this a case of playing the role of “chaperone” with a twist? After all, was the allure of Disney simply too strong for these staffers who might have fancied themselves the new Disney Dream Squad?
The Great College Tour That Wasn’t
Some of the trips had an academic veneer, touted as college tours. Yet, witnesses revealed that students and their so-called chaperones never set foot on any of the campuses. One group, which included Wilson, her daughter, and other staff members, dined at Syracuse University during a June 2018 trip. But instead of an educational tour, the entourage departed for a different attraction—Niagara Falls.
A nice view, but hardly the purpose of the trip.
“I Retired, Not Fired,” Says Wilson
In response to the scandal, the special commissioner’s office recommended that Wilson and the others involved be fired and reimburse the school system for their unauthorized family excursions.
However, Wilson insists to the New York Post that she retired and wasn’t fired—a claim that appears to echo a statement from Department of Education spokesperson Jenna Lyle, who stated, “All staff identified in this report are no longer employed by New York City Public Schools.”
So, there you have it. In a city where thousands of homeless students struggle to get a leg up, six school staffers allegedly saw an opportunity to swap their educational responsibilities for personal pleasure. And now, one must wonder if the lure of Disney—and perhaps the desire to chaperone “just this once”—clouded their judgment.