Parents charge Kent Schools superintendent, board with financial mismanagement

Two parents in the Kent School District are asking a judge to examine how superintendent Dr. Calvin Watts and the school board have been handling district finances.

Michele Bettinger and her husband Shawn Bettinger started looking into the district budget after their kids’ music and drama program faced cuts.

Michele Bettinger said they found that Watts is mismanaging funds and that the school board is allowing it.

"I believe in holding them accountable, because the children in this district deserve the best possible leaders who are behaving honestly and transparently," she said.

The superintendent has been vastly overspending, the Bettingers said in their court filing, and moving money from one pot to another to help bolster the district’s bond rating, without the required board approval process.

The Bettingers wrote that when they filed a formal complaint with the school board, nothing came of it.

They’ve filed an appeal in King County Superior Court.

District spokeswoman Melissa Laramie referred KUOW to a statement on the district website that reads:

"Our district, superintendent, and Board take every complaint regarding an employee or Board member seriously. Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts leads with equity, excellence, and community in mind as we continuously improve outcomes for students."

A hearing is scheduled for October.