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The financially and academically challenged River Rouge School District spent $180,000 on travel over the past three years, flying to conferences in cities including Las Vegas, Seattle and Washington, reports Steve Neavling of Motor City Muckraker.
During a 2013 conference in Las Vegas, one of nine participants from the district purchased coconut tequila, vaginal lubrication and $32 worth of condoms at 1:47 a.m., according to travel receipts obtained by Motor City Muckraker. It’s unclear who bought the party supplies.
The issue is causing heartburn for River Rouge Superintendent Derrick Coleman, who oversees the school finances. He is one of two finalist for the Detroit Public Schools superintendent job.
Critics are questioning the spending at a time teachers took pay cuts and the district was hurting. It could impact his chances of becoming superintendent in Detroit.
Coleman defends the trips, telling WXYZ:
“Those teachers who went to these workshops and gained valuable skills, that they brought back to the classroom, it wasn’t available in Michigan. That is why those conferences were chosen."
WXYZ also reports he was not the only who turned in the receipt for the condoms and vaginal lubrication.
The money used to pay for the travel was federal funds dedicated to things like professional development and teacher recruitment, the station says.
