Texas: Dallas Independent School District to Repay HIV Education Money in Suit Deal

The Dallas Independent School District has settled a whistle-blower lawsuit that charged it misused federal HIV prevention money. Under the settlement, DISD will have to repay $336,000 in grant money that CDC provided it over three years for two full-time employees working on an HIV education program and surveying teens about their behavior.

The district charged CDC while assigning the staff members to provide employee CPR training, health seminars, and curriculum writing, according to an attorney for whistle-blower Becky Beck.

DISD did not respond to Beck's complaint to supervisors or an official grievance about the additional assignments. The suit was filed in October 2006. It has been under seal since then; the settlement was reached this month.

The district used the CDC grant and "pretty much did whatever they wanted to with it," said Rob Wiley, Beck's attorney.

DISD admitted no wrongdoing in settling, said Jon Dahlander, a district spokesperson. Officials said they settled to "avoid delay, uncertainty, inconvenience, and expense of protracted litigation."

For successfully exposing the deception, Beck was awarded $47,400 by the government.

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