Mr. Tron writes legislators Husted & Jordan re: charter school founder pleading guilty to embezzlement

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From Duane Tron, June 4, 2008
Subject: Charter school founder pleads guilty to embezzlement

Dear Jim & Jon,

And another unregulated charter school director bites the dust. Just more of the ongoing corruption in what have been basically unregulated and unsupervised charter schools across America. I think you call this the practical and preferential alternative to public schools. I have spent 36 years serving public education and I can't recount a single incident of theft that is equal to anything we have witnessed with charter schools. In my 36 year career I haven't personally encountered a single public school employee who has been indicted and convicted of theft in public office.

Duane Tron

St. Paris, Ohio 43072

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

TUESDAY, June 3, 2008

By Dani McClain

School official pleads in embezzling case

A former operator of a Milwaukee public charter school pleaded guilty this morning to embezzling more than $300,000 in public funds intended for the charter school she founded and led from 2003 to 2006.

Rosella Tucker, 55, appeared in federal court Tuesday to confirm the plea agreement she signed late last month.

In 2003, Tucker founded the New Hope Institute of Science and Technology through a charter agreement with MPS.

In court today, she acknowledged unlawfully obtaining about $300,000 in U.S. Department of Education funds and spending about $200,000 of it on personal expenses including cars, funeral arrangements and home improvement. Tucker has argued that the remainder of the money she received was legitimate reimbursement for school-related expenses.

Tucker, who has worked in MPS and taught at Milwaukee Area Technical College, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. She will also be required to pay MPS $200,000.

Tucker's sentencing hearing is set for September 4, pending recommendations from the U.S. probation office.