ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : A Heartbreaking Scandal

The spectacle of the former chief financial officer of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District being arraigned this week on charges that he stole nearly $1.2 million from the school system was shocking and enraging.

Investigators advise further that the public should hold its breath because the figure being mentioned could nearly double once an audit is completed. How could something like this happen in a prosperous community that prides itself on educational excellence? And what next in Newport Beach, which has been reeling from troubles in several of its key institutions?

Mind you, this scandal comes at a time when schoolteachers around the country are breaking their backs to do more with less.

It comes at a time when parents are pitching in with their free time and by opening their wallets to shore up the finances of school districts under the gun as a result of severe budget cuts.

It comes at a time when the viability of public schools is being threatened in the political arena by those who would abandon the nation’s great historic commitment to public education in favor of a private voucher system; these pressures jeopardize a system that must educate the less fortunate.

What a contrast this story presents. Stephen A. Wagner, fired two weeks ago in Newport-Mesa, was known for an extravagant lifestyle. He was known for his Rolls-Royce, two Mercedeses and a wardrobe that included a mink tuxedo and a fur-lined bath robe.

His salary was $78,000; school officials say he led them to believe he had successful side businesses.

The investigation continues, and Wagner has not been convicted of any wrongdoing. He deserves his day in court.

But still, the backdrop against which this scandal takes place causes pain in every supporter of public education. Measured against the heroics of those making sacrifices for the schools, this case is an especially galling saga.

The public deserves better stewardship. That is a bitter lesson that the Newport-Mesa Unified School District is learning the hard way.