NATICK, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A battle over tens of thousands of dollars meant for inner-city students is causing tension between the METCO program and one suburban superintendent.
About 3,000 students in the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity program are voluntarily bused from Boston to various suburban school districts.
But on Monday, METCO's executive director claims one of those districts used grant money meant for the students for something else.
She says money that was supposed to be used for the METCO program in Natick for things like tutoring, workshops and transportation was instead allegedly used by the superintendent to hire a guidance counselor for the district.
"You just can't co-mingle funds, you have to use it for the purposes that are in the grant and that's what's in the grant," she said. "It's supposed to be academic support and he's changing it now to a guidance counselor."
And caught in the middle is Alexandra Pearson-- the METCO program director in Natick. METCO claims she was fired after 17 years in the district, for questioning the use of the $75,000 of grant money used to hire the guidance counselor.
"This is about our children and our children's future, and should I say, the superintendent and his staff treating our kids fairly," said Eleanor Tyler, who has a senior in the Natick METCO program. Her other daughter graduated from the program two years ago.
METCO has requested the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education look into how the superintendent used the funds in question.
FOX 25's Melissa Mahan spoke to Superintendent Sanchioni, who didn't want to go on camera, but said the accusations are completely false and no money was misused. He said Alexandra Pearson was fired due to a personnel matter, and said he could discuss the issue any further.
A meeting is scheduled with the superintendent and METCO parents this Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Hyde Park library. Parents are hoping to get some answers, and hear the superintendent's side of the story.