I'm no auto-defender of academies, but I do know one-sided reporting when I see it.
Last night's Channel 4 Dispatches about Academies might have managed to unearth a few dodgy expenses but it completely failed to mention all the school fraud and expenses scandals that go on, and have always gone on, in maintained schools.
For me the real question is whether these sorts of things become more common in academies, and whether they're less likely to be uncovered when the schools are regulated by central government rather than local authorities. That's still unproven, though there's no shortage of people who'll tell you its "inevitable", because they're so politically biased that they think anyone involved in running academies must be a crook.
Just for fun, here are a few non-academy examples that I unearthed in just 10 minutes of Googling ....
www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/crooksbarn-primary-school-heads-5000-3715233
www.standard.co.uk/news/top-headteacher-held-over-500000-cuba-trip-expenses-6740813.html
www.somersetlive.co.uk/teacher-denies-school-expenses-fraud-claim/story-27580638-detail/story.html
metro.co.uk/2009/08/06/heads-sun-holiday-on-school-expenses-326355/
www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/education/camden_superhead_racks_up_1_300_travel_expenses_in_10_days_1_4235508
www.camdennewjournal.com/Jo-Shuter-appeal
www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/8155388.Swindled_his_school_out_of___17_000/
www.questia.com/newspaper/1G1-208633945/school-head-s-pounds-5-000-claims-guidelines-may
www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/13435771.Headteacher_signed_off_more_than__pound_600_expenses_to_husband/
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8188049.stm
www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/13424111.Swindon_primary_school_headteacher_in_court_on_fraud_charges/
www.nottinghampost.com/stapleford-school-office-manager-sandra-mayo/story-28648032-detail/story.html
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11573715/Head-teacher-tried-to-steal-30000-from-school.html
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-32531464
indexwiltshire.co.uk/former-primary-school-head-teacher-pleads-guilty-to-two-counts-of-fraud/
www.standard.co.uk/news/deputy-head-fired-over-school-fraud-hits-back-at-council-chiefs-6804583.html
www.standard.co.uk/news/former-school-head-and-his-deputy-arrested-over-16m-fraud-scandal-6572506.html
www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/two-in-court-over-primary-34105/
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/retired-dromara-school-principal-stanley-poots-denies-25-fraud-charges-34519187.html
www.theguardian.com/education/2011/mar/01/head-arrested-in-fraud-case
schoolsimprovement.net/former-headteacher-charged-with-five-counts-of-fraud/
www.banbridgeleader.co.uk/news/banbridge-news/ex-head-faces-string-of-fraud-charges-1-7094260
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CH4 Dispatches on Academies - Unbalanced reporting?
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catupadrainpipe · 26/07/2016 18:53
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