Former charter school director facing theft charges waives court appearance
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The founder and former director of a high-performing southwest Atlanta charter school waived his court appearance Thursday morning.
Christopher Clemmons is accused of embezzling more than $600,000 from the Latin Academy. Atlanta Police launched an investigation in August 2015 revolving around the conversion of funds from the charter school by Clemmons for his personal use.
In a news release, police previously said the investigation revealed Clemmons, who at the time was director of finances at the charter school, stole funds by using the school’s credit card for personal dinners, non-work related travel expenses, ATM withdrawals and personal entertainment at local nightclubs.
He faces charges of theft by taking by fiduciary, deposit account fraud involving $1500 or more, and felony theft by taking.
On Tuesday, April 16, the F.B.I. Fugitive Task Force in Colorado located and arrested Clemmons in the Denver area. Earlier this month, the Atlanta Police Department’s Fugitive Team extradited him back to Georgia.
Clemmons waived his first court appearance two weeks ago and he's remained in the Fulton County Jail without bond.
In May, the Latin Academy board voted to close its doors despite months of fighting by parents to keep it open because of the school’s struggling finances.
"They want to learn, everyday kids of their same color are laying dead in the street or on the news because they are robbing somebody," said Jonquil Johnson whose son attended Latin Academy.
Teachers also expressed their concerns at the May meeting, telling the board that the teachers were willing to take a pay cut in order to stay open.
"I just have never been a part of a group of teachers and people that I am more proud to work with. If you do not know on average we donated 9.9 percent of our salaries for the remainder of the school year for the school," said one teacher while she addressed the school board.
In May, Atlanta Public Schools issued a statement indicating budget troubles led to the school's instability and imminent closure.
The case will be prosecuted by the Fulton County District Attorneys White Collar Crime Unit.