PENNSYLVANIA COMPUTERS MISSING Superintendent, other Bethlehem Area officials to blame for district's laptop troubles, report says | In Today's Express-Times - lehighvalleylive.com - - lehighvalleylive.com:

Superintendent, other Bethlehem Area officials to blame for district's laptop troubles, report says
By Express-Times staff
October 08, 2009, 12:32AM

The Bethlehem Area School District's failure to implement policies and procedures for managing its laptops led to the loss of at least 80 Apple computers, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General. Even now, it remains unclear exactly how many of the laptops are gone and who stole or misplaced them, the report says.

The district, intent on placing a computer in the hands of every student, purchased $11.5 million worth of laptops over the years. Federal, state and local dollars funded the program, known as SKILL21.

Outgoing Superintendent Joseph Lewis, former technology director Robin Lutcher and other members of Lewis' administration bear the brunt of blame dished out in the report. The missing computers represent a loss of $84,000, the report says.

“Ultimately, this lack of official reporting made it difficult for the police department and (the auditor general) to determine who, if anyone stole the missing computers,” the report concludes.

• Read The Express-Times story then check out the auditor general's complete report.

The report is also critical of how Lewis and former board President Craig Haytmanek handled an internal investigation of ex-Nitschmann Middle School Principal John Acerra, who was arrested for dealing methamphetamine from his office at the Bethlehem school.

The district paid more than $50,000 to a law firm that conducted the probe.
Read The Express-Times story then check out the auditor general's complete report.