Open Letter to the Fairfax County School Board
-- by FCTA's Jeffrey A. Leach, May 6, 2025
As I’m confident you are aware since the news is now nationwide, (former?) Chair of the Budget Committee of the Fairfax County School Board Kyle McDaniel -- who has been responsible for making financial decisions around the Fairfax County Public School budget of $4B -- is currently being sued by a former business partner for embezzlement.
According to MSNBC, "McDaniel allegedly admitted to misusing around $120,000 in company funds in June 2024. He said he had begun paying back the company for the missing funds. Then, in December 2024, after making an initial repayment of $50,000, Blue Label Aviation said they had found "another $160,000 misused by McDaniel." Since the story broke, the claim has been expanded, and the amount in damages now being sought appears to be $2.725M.
Any prudent government officials aware of these facts of this civil case would, in accordance with their fiduciary duties to protect the assets of taxpayers, immediately launch an internal investigation to ascertain whether Kyle McDaniel might be guilty of embezzling public funds from Fairfax County before pertinent information could be altered or destroyed, and before funds could be moved beyond reach.
In addition, in accordance with their fiduciary duties to be transparent and honest with those to whom they are accountable, prudent government officials would also communicate to County taxpayers that they were doing all in their power to investigate the matter to address any wrongdoing and to resolve any concerns.
Please answer the following questions as honestly, completely, and responsively as possible, not skipping any questions in whole or in part, and remembering that democracy dies in darkness.
Note, moreover, that if McDaniel has been replaced on the Board -- by whatever means -- this does not in any way negate or diminish the ongoing validity and urgency of these questions or remove the right of the taxpayers to know the answer to them in a timely manner.
What investigation(s) have been launched to date, by whom, to what extent, to be concluded by what date, with what deliverable (such as a report) in view?
If no investigations have been initiated, why has none been initiated?
Have any Fairfax County officials at any level instructed you not to investigate or speak honestly regarding this matter? If so, who did so and what reason did he/she/they give?
Have you instructed anyone not to investigate or speak honestly on this matter? If so, why?
If an investigation has been initiated, what results have been collected so far?
Is Kyle McDaniel currently serving on the Fairfax County School Board during this budget season during which he is also being sued for embezzlement, or has he been placed on leave without pay or removed? If he has not been placed on leave without pay or removed, why has this not been done? If he is no longer serving on the school board, then why is he still advertised to the public as serving on the school board?
Given the small degrees of separation between everyone involved with FCPS and the absolute necessity for avoiding conflicts of interest in an investigation, what neutral, independent third party from outside the Fairfax County governmental system has been hired to investigate this matter?
Note that I have already written to Chairman of the School Board Karl Frisch, who has, to date, been non-responsive in this as in all other matters on which I have ever contacted him. I trust that the rest of you will choose to abide by your fiduciary duties. Note, in addition, that Karl Frisch must recuse himself from any investigation into this matter due to his conflict of interest as the second biggest contributor to McDaniel's campaign, as must any others who contributed to McDaniel's campaigns.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey A. Leach, Esq.