Bad Education

In 2002, Dr. Frank Tassone serves as the superintendent of the Roslyn School District in Long Island. Under his guidance, the district achieves remarkable educational enhancements, soaring to the rank of the 4th best public school in the nation.

While adored by students and parents, Frank lives a double life as a gay man, hiding his relationship with former student Kyle Contreras. Their romance begins to flourish after they meet at a conference in Las Vegas.

When student Rachel Bhargava writes an article for the school paper about a new sky-walk, she uncovers alarming inconsistencies in the district's finances. This sparks her curiosity and sets her on a path to delve deeper into the school's financial issues.

Unbeknownst to Rachel, Frank and his assistant Pam Gluckin are engaged in a massive embezzlement operation, siphoning millions from the school district's funds. Their illicit activities are hidden behind the school's impressive achievements.

A critical turning point occurs when Pam's son Jimmy inadvertently uses a Roslyn expense card for home renovations, exposing his mother’s misconduct. This suspicious use draws attention and leads to investigations into their financial dealings.

Following her exposure, Pam faces a confrontation regarding her actions. In an attempt to cover the scandal, Frank cleverly persuades the school board to keep the embezzlement under wraps, arguing it could damage their school’s ranking.

Frank manipulates the district's auditor, Phil Metzger, to downplay the missing funds to a mere $250,000. This deceit masks the real extent of their theft, which is much larger and puts the school’s reputation at risk.

As Rachel continues to investigate, she discovers suspicious invoices and exorbitant consulting fees paid to untrustworthy companies. Her journey leads her to Manhattan, where she stumbles upon one firm that is merely an apartment building.

In a tense moment, Frank confronts Rachel, attempting to intimidate her into silence about her findings. His desperation underscores how much he stands to lose if the truth about the embezzlement comes to light.

Despite Frank's threats, Rachel boldly publishes her investigative findings in the school paper, directly implicating Frank as a key figure in the fraud. This act of bravery escalates the situation and draws scrutiny onto Frank.

Following Rachel's publication, the investigation turns into a criminal case, leading to the arrests of Pam, Jenny, and Phil. Frank's attempts to navigate the fallout are challenged by the growing pile of evidence against him.

Under immense pressure from authorities threatening her family with prosecution, Pam reluctantly agrees to testify against Frank. Her betrayal marks a pivotal moment in the unraveling of the embezzlement scheme.

In the wake of the chaos, Frank attempts to flee to Nevada with a large sum of cash, seeking refuge at a house he purchased for Kyle. However, the law catches up with him, resulting in his arrest and return to New York.

Frank is ultimately convicted of embezzling $2.2 million and sentenced to 4-12 years in prison. His fall from grace serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of his actions and deceit.

Despite his conviction, an oversight in the state pension fund allows Frank to continue receiving a yearly pension of over $173,000. This epilogue underscores the lasting impact of his unethical choices.