‘Questionable’ purchases by Farragut HS Band, including $1,500 meal for 11 students, investigated

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury into Farragut High School’s band has revealed some “questionable” purchases.

The highest value purchase under investigation was $43,936.90 paid to a vendor between March 2023 and May 2024 that the band director was employed by, which the Comptroller’s report states is a conflict of interest.

The purchases included band equipment, contracted audio engineering, and choreography services. The school had previously made payments to the vendor for similar purchases before the band director was hired by the vendor in March 2023. However, the report states that the band did not obtain three written quotes as it should have for purchases and services exceeding $25,000. Investigators also noted that they could not determine if the band director personally benefitted from the purchases and working in both positions.

The investigation also looked into a $1,500 meal that the band director and assistant band director used a school credit card to pay for at the Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville on April 11, 2024. According to the report, which included a copy of the receipt from the restaurant, the meal was for 11 select band students, three school employees, one student teacher, and two others who were unaffiliated with the school.

In 2023, the booster club had paid for a meal to reward the band members selected for All-State Band, but for the 2024 school year, the booster club decided to provide the 11 students selected for All-State Band with a $100 gift card to cover meal expenses and to pay for their registration and hotel room expenses. The investigation report says the band director and assistant band director decided to still reward the students selected for All-State Band with a meal and submitted a $2,000 purchase order on April 2, 2024, to school administration, requesting approval for “Student Meals.”

According to the Comptroller’s report, the administration believed the requested meals would feed the entire band and approved the purchase order. They learned after they requested an itemized receipt from the restaurant that the meal was only for the select band students and others. On May 17, 2024, the band director paid the school $150 of his personal funds to reimburse the school for the meal costs of the individuals who were not affiliated with the school, the report states.

The report added that funds collected from student band fees and fundraisers should only be used for the benefit of the entire band, not select students, faculty, or others unaffiliated with the school.

The Comptroller released a separate investigation into the Farragut Dugout Club, which supports Farragut High School’s baseball team, on Sept. 13 as well.

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