Silicon Valley education office audits misuse of funds

As the Santa Clara County Office of Education board faces backlash for firing Superintendent Mary Ann Dewan, it’s responding with an “extraordinary” request for third-party audits into misuse of school district funds during Dewan’s tenure. The audits will focus on unspecified contract awards and expenditures of public funds, as well as allegations of email surveillance over school district personnel, according to a Friday announcement from Interim Superintendent Charles Hinman. The investigations will also seek third-party examinations on “expenditure of public funds for personal legal fees” — an apparent reference to Dewan’s legal fight to reverse the board majority’s Oct. 2 vote…