The career of an embattled private school owner who left Hillsborough County to start a new job as a public school principal in Milwaukee has taken another twist.
According to a statement released by the Milwaukee school system late Thursday, "Wendy Alexander is no longer an employee of Milwaukee public schools."
Alexander's departure was effective Oct. 21, said Milwaukee schools spokeswoman Roseann St. Aubin. That was 11 days after a News Channel 8 investigation revealed Alexander left Florida for owing bankruptcy creditors $3.3 million dollars.
Alexander has been on paid suspension from the principal's job since Oct. 14 pending an investigation of her business practices in Florida.
A number of parents at Alexander's now-defunct Hand In Hand Academy in Lutz say she shut down her school Sept. 16, just weeks after the fall semester began, without talking with them about the thousands of dollars they paid in advance for tuition.
Some parents showed News Channel 8 checks indicating they had paid as much as $16,000 for a year's advance tuition.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that economic crimes detectives are reviewing at least four fraud complaints filed by parents whose children attended Hand In Hand Academy.
Wednesday, News Channel 8 reported that Alexander now has a pending application for a public charter school in Hillsborough County.
School district records show she wants to start the Academy for Accelerated Learning to serve 290 students in kindergarten-through-fifth grade with an annual budget of $1.6 million.
The Hillsborough School Board is expected to decide whether to approve Alexander's charter school in December.
Alexander has not responded to repeated requests for comment.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement
Advertisement