District 6 Tulsa School Board Member Dr. Jerry Griffin  has resigned from his position as a member of the Tulsa Public Schools Finance Committee.

Griffin said, “While I have no personal knowledge of financial irregularities, the failure of the TPS superintendent to provide me with multiple requests for financial and statistical information is deeply concerning.”

Superintendent Deborah Gist said, “We don’t have that information, or our systems can’t provide that information.”

Griffin added, “From my view, it is her responsibility to provide information that a board member requests – not to give excuses.

“The financial condition of Tulsa Public Schools is mostly smoke and mirrors, and my experience has taught me that generally, where there is smoke, there is fire. I don’t believe most board members realize that they have legal fiduciary responsibility when making financial decisions regarding TPS spending. They put all their assets at risk. For me, I am no longer willing to do that.

“Today I am publicly asking for State Auditor Cindy Byrd to immediately begin a forensic audit of Tulsa Public Schools covering the last six years. I am also asking for Governor Stitt and Oklahoma legislators’ for their support in this matter.

“All Tulsa and Oklahoma residents pay millions of dollars for the education Of Tulsa children, and the citizens deserve to have a legal accounting of every penny. It’s time to protect the ‘cookie jar.'”