Brockton superintendent placed on paid leave after a vote by the school committee

BROCKTON, Mass. — Brockton Public Schools Superintendent Mike Thomas has been placed on paid administrative leave after a vote by the school committee Tuesday night.

This comes months after the school committee announced in late August that it discovered a $14 million deficit for the fiscal year 2023 budget. Thomas went on extended medical leave at that same time.

The school committee members then voted unanimously to hire an outside firm to perform an independent audit of the school’s finances. Dr. James Cobbs was also named interim superintendent while Thomas was on medical leave.

Thomas has publicly denied any mismanagement and told Boston 25 News in September that there was no criminal activity involved.

“A narrative that money is missing or embezzled is absolutely absurd, every dime can be accounted for and every dime went toward students,” Thomas said. “It’s not gone. It’s overspent in the areas of safety, security, transportation, over staff but there’s nothing missing.”

Thomas, a graduate of Brockton High School, oversaw the physical education department and worked his way up to become superintendent in 2019.

Back in May, the school district eliminated 130 staff positions after facing an $18 million deficit. The district attributed some of the shortfall to dwindling enrollment due to the pandemic.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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