CPS: $67,000 wasted on espresso machines

CHICAGO, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Chicago Public Schools auditors say system bureaucrats spent $67,000 to buy 30 cappuccino/espresso machines, many of which are not being used.

The CPS Office of Inspector General said in its annual report the coffeemakers were ordered for several area schools even though they hadn't been requested, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.

The departmental report alleges the unidentified bureaucrats also obtained the machines by abusing competitive bidding rules currently in place for such purchases.

Inspector General James Sullivan called the purchases a "waste of money" as they were available at cheaper prices online and unwanted by many schools.

"We also look at it as a waste of money because the schools didn't even know they were getting the equipment, schools didn't know how to use the machines and weren't prepared to implement them into the curriculum," Sullivan said.

The CPS report also announced Chicago schools now have tighter security on their record system due to unidentified high school staffers changing the grades of certain school athletes, the Sun-Times reported.