TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist has provided an update about thousands of district dollars that disappeared over a four-year period.
As 2 News reported in summer 2022, Dr. Gist points to multiple investigations that put blame on her former Chief Talent and Equity Officer Devin Fletcher for diverting funds meant for educator resources from the district.
Gist said each investigation by the district itself, Kuester, and an annual independent audit all confirmed misconduct was localized around only Fletcher.
She also mentions three vendors that helped with recruitment and hiring, which Fletcher coordinated with.
However, the superintendent said no money from taxpayers or payrolls was affected.
“This was money that primarily is donor-funded,” Gist said.
Gist spoke with 2 News for the first time since issuing this letter to staff and parents, in which she details the "egregious" management of vendors by Fletcher.
Gist said she learned about the allegations after an employee working under Fletcher brought forth complaints in spring 2022.
According to Gist, Fletcher held an integral role in talent management and human resources for the district.
“Which is why it’s such an incredible violation and an incredible breach of trust, and something that is completely unacceptable,” she said.
When the district conducted its own investigation last summer, Gist said about $17,000 was taken from district funds, but in light of a recently-finished independent investigation by former federal prosecutor Brian Kuester, she said it was much more.
“I don’t think we’ll know until this law enforcement investigation concludes - to really understand all of what occurred there. But it’s much more significant than what we thought at that time," she said.
On Monday night TPS Board of Education considered announcing civil litigation against Fletcher and other vendors who Fletcher did business with on behalf of the district, but the board decided not to take action yet until more information is released.
Despite the controversy, Gist has no regrets in her leadership.
“I think the district has already done exactly what we needed to do," she said.
"We learned of a situation within a couple of days, immediately began looking into it in a robust way. (We) immediately notified law enforcement the minute we saw something that was not only a violation of policy, but actually potentially much worse than that. And then we went into our record to make sure that we understood whether there was any other possible way that there could be other such violations, other such breaches of trust.”
You can read the district's full policy here, beginning on page 401.
Fletcher resigned from his role last June. He could not be reached for comment.
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