A Disney trip organized by the New York City Department of Education (DOE) was supposed to provide homeless students with an enriching break from their day-to-day struggles. However, investigators have found that six staff members of New York City’s public school system took advantage of these funds, taking their families on trips to Disney World, New Orleans, and other locations that were meant to provide a fun and educational experience outside of the classroom.

According to the report released this month, the head of the Queens Students in Temporary Housing program, Linda Wilson, took her own children on trips that were paid for using grants that were specifically meant for homeless students. She even went as far as allowing and encouraging other staff members to bring their families on these excursions.

Apparently, the abuse of these funds was not just a misunderstanding. Members of the faculty that were involved in this incident have disclosed that Wilson had urged them to keep quiet about the situation. An employee reported hearing Wilson declare, “What happens here stays with us.” Although she denies having ever stated that.

When questioned about this matter, Linda Wilson initially denied bringing her family on these trips or encouraging her coworkers to follow her lead.

As to how exactly Wilson managed to sneak family into these outings, it has been revealed that she would forge permission slips and use an outside agency to book the traveling arrangements necessary. These measures were taken in order to evade the surveillance of the city’s Department of Education, and they worked for a while until complaints were aired back in March of 2019.

Lauren Saddler, a sophomore, has stated, “It is unfair that they took advantage of an opportunity for someone who is less fortunate and has probably never experienced a trip like this before.”

These complaints launched an investigation, encouraging officials to inspect the details and inconsistencies within Wilson’s story. Although this incident had only started being examined in early 2019, the report was only made public on September 9th of this year. The special commissioner’s office explained that the report was not released because of the pending administrative actions.

“I think it’s completely unacceptable that these people are taking away opportunities from those who are less fortunate than themselves. Especially seeing this from the Department of Education, which is supposed to be helping and empowering young children.” Says Rylee Polich, a sophomore.

Since then, the New York City Department of Education has taken measures to ensure that incidents like this will not occur again, following officials’ recommendation to terminate those involved in this scandal. The department has said the Students in Temporary Housing leadership team now undergoes a new process designed to make sure that all managed trips undergo a formal approval process. They will also be assigning a new operational support leader to the team.