Calumet Schools Accused Of Forging Parents' Signatures For Federal Grant

Calumet Parents are frustrated and very concerned after learning their signatures were forged to get federal money for the district's only school.

In order to get an Indian education grant, the federal government requires parental input and their signatures, but some parents say they've never been given that opportunity.

News 9 was told this is not the first time signatures to get the Title VII grant have been forged.

Documents show this is the second year in a row the education department noticed fake signatures. Now, parents want the person responsible prosecuted.

"I just couldn't believe it. I didn't know why," said parent Anna Rowlodge.

Rowlodge is one of five parents who learned their signatures were forged on a document which says they approved of the grant program.

"To me, it's a very serious offense, the forging of a federal document," said Teressa Dorsett, Director of Education for Cheyenne Arapaho tribes.

The Calumet School district is one of many across the state eligible to receive a Title VII grant. Over 30 percent of the schools population is Native American.

"There are issues of schools not spending the money in the appropriate manner, but never to this extent where a school forges signatures to get the money," Dorsett said.

This year, Dorsett says Calumet Public schools received nearly $17,000.

"Our intent was to address the school board and see how they handle it, also office of education in D.C.," Dorsett said.

"I have contacted the school attorney, I have contacted Washington, D.C. So we are in the steps right now of correcting this," said Calumet School Superintendent, Keith Weldon.

Weldon says grant money was never used improperly, and the administrator responsible for forging the signatures retired.

"I hope they file charges on whoever this person is," Rowlodge said.

Weldon says he does not plan to take legal action against the former administrator at this point.