Comptroller’s Office investigation finds ‘questionable transactions’ at Knox County’s Farragut High School

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The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released two investigative reports related to Farragut High School (FHS) in Knox County Schools (KCS) after district leaders reported “questionable transactions” to the office, a recent news release emailed to Tennessee Firefly said.

According to the Comptroller’s Office, investigators found that officers from the FHS baseball team student support organization Farragut Dugout Club paid salary supplements to FHS baseball coaches totaling $3,350. It said that these “thank you” gifts to coaches were not approved by the school system as required, and that the club should have provided the money to the Board of Education for payment to the coaches in order to ensure tax withholdings are done properly.

Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower (Photo by the Tennessee Comptroller's Office)

In addition, the report said that the Farragut Dugout Club used club funds to “buy questionable gifts for coaches and themselves,” totaling at least $463.63. The club also charged $600 “operational” fees to players in 2022 and 2023, despite the fact that school support organizations are not allowed to charge students to participate in school-sponsored activities.

In the second investigation involving the FHS band, Comptroller investigators found that the school made payments totaling $43,936.90 to a vendor that employed the band director, resulting in a potential conflict of interest. The payments included purchases of band equipment and contracted audio engineering and choreography services.

Investigators said they were unable to determine if the band director personally benefitted from the FHS purchases while working in both positions, adding that the school should have also obtained written quotes as required for disbursements that exceed $25,000 in one school year. Investigators also found that the FHS band director and assistant band director used a school credit card “to pay $1,500 for a questionable meal at a restaurant in Nashville in April 2024.”

“Funds collected from student fees and fundraisers should only be used for the benefit of the entire band and not selected students, faculty, or other individuals,” the news release noted.

According to the news release, the Comptroller’s Office has communicated the results of both investigations to the Office of the District Attorney General of the 6th Judicial District.

“School support organizations in Tennessee must establish strong internal controls to ensure money and assets are safeguarded,” said Comptroller Jason Mumpower. “I encourage Knox County Schools to address any existing issues within its school booster clubs that could lead to improper activity.”