PRJUSD Leadership Responds to Concerns Regarding Public Expenditures
The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District has issued the following statements from Board President Joel Peterson and Superintendent Jennifer Loftus regarding allegations recently reported by CalCoast News.
Statement from Board President Joel Peterson
Over the weekend, CalCoastNews published a story alleging that PRJUSD district administrators improperly used district credit cards. The stewardship of public funds is a responsibility this board takes seriously, and our community deserves clear answers.
The story appears to be based on a complaint Trustee Kenny Enney filed with the California State Auditor, the California Department of Education, and the District Attorney, and shared with several news outlets. The complaint was not submitted to the District, and the District did not have an opportunity to provide documentation for the expenses before they were made public. The District has since received a copy. Trustee Enney did not raise these concerns with me as Board president, with his fellow trustees, or with the superintendent. Releasing unverified allegations this way undermines public confidence in our District and unfairly damages the reputations of our superintendent and her team.
District expenses are subject to internal approval and documentation requirements, as well as an annual independent audit that tests spending against supporting records and state and federal requirements. In each of the years covered by the story, our independent auditors have issued their reports without findings related to these expenditures. These expenses fell within budgets adopted by the Board and were reported to the Board in public session as part of our regular approval of District expenditures. Nothing reviewed to date indicates that funds were spent outside of those approved budgets.
Whatever his intent, Trustee Enney's approach sows distrust and distracts from the important work our school district is doing. To ensure a full and impartial review, the District has retained an independent investigator to examine each of the transactions raised. We will share the findings publicly. In the meantime, our focus remains on the education of the students in our community.
Joel Peterson
President, PRJUSD Board of Trustees
Statement from Superintendent Jennifer Loftus
Over the weekend, CalCoast News published an article questioning expenditures made by me and members of my cabinet. The allegations appear to originate from a complaint filed by Trustee Kenney Enney with several outside agencies and distributed to news outlets. Notably, Trustee Enney did not submit his complaint directly to the district, which only recently received a copy.
I want to be clear: I welcome legitimate questions about how our district spends public funds. As superintendent, I am accountable to our Board of Trustees and to the families, employees, and taxpayers of Paso Robles. Responsible financial stewardship is not optional. It is fundamental to the public trust.
What concerns me is Trustee Enney's pattern of publicly circulating unsubstantiated allegations rather than working constructively to establish the facts. Trustee Enney is not an outside observer. He is an elected member of the governing board responsible for overseeing this district. With that responsibility comes an obligation to approach questions of financial accountability with diligence, fairness, and a commitment to establishing the facts before making unscrutinized public accusations.
Our district has established procedures for documenting and reviewing expenditures, along with external safeguards that include annual independent financial audits. These processes exist precisely because public spending demands accountability.
The district has now retained an independent investigator to review the allegations. I welcome that review as I believe the public deserves a careful, objective examination of the facts rather than conclusions drawn before that examination has occurred.
I am proud of the work our leadership team does every day on behalf of our students, teachers, and families. We will continue that work while these allegations receive appropriate scrutiny.
The community deserves accountability from its district leadership. It also deserves accuracy, fairness, and responsible conduct from every individual entrusted with governing its schools.
Jennifer Loftus
Superintendent
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District
About Paso Robles Joint Unified School District
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District serves approximately 6,200 students throughout northern San Luis Obispo County. Guided by its core values of integrity, accountability, collaboration, innovation, compassion, and belonging, PRJUSD is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where every student feels valued and empowered to discover their strengths, build resilience, and develop the knowledge, character, and confidence to thrive in their future.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District
Melissa Godsey
Public Information Officer