Former Brainerd teacher took funds from students without approval

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Tennessee Comptroller recently completed an investigation into Brainerd High School. They reported that a former teacher at the school inappropriately handled cheerleading and cosmetology funds.

The report said this teacher did not submit funds from the cheerleading team to the school. She took $7,360 from cheerleading students and did not submit that money to Brainerd.

Additionally, the school only approved a collection of $3,840 from the cheer team, based on the number of students on the team.

She collected that money between April and August of 2021. She then used that money with unapproved vendors to buy cheerleading items, including shirts, shorts and shoes. Some of those items were shipped directly to the teacher’s home as well.

The report said the teacher used ten different unapproved vendors in these purchases.

That teacher was the cheerleading coach from 2016 until 2022. She was also the school’s cosmetology teacher from 2015 to 2022.

She did not remit funds for cosmetology services either.

The report said the teacher used Brainerd money to buy cosmetology supplies, but she never provided documentation for the purchases.

Brainerd suspended her without pay on February 23, 2022. She then resigned on May 26 of the same year.

The Comptroller report never identified the teacher.

See the full report here.