GREENVILLE — Former Greenville schools superintendent Harvey Franklin will be sentenced Nov. 13 for accepting bribes from the seller of a reading program.
The Delta Democrat Times reports that the sentencing will be held before U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock in Aberdeen.
Franklin resigned in May 2012. He pleaded guilty in August 2012 to accepting $47,000 in bribes from Georgia businesswoman Edna Goble
Franklin became superintendent in Greenville in July 2009. The district’s contract with Teach Them to Read Inc. started in January 2010. Prosecutors said the $1.4 million paid to the Goble’s company all came from federal grants.
Prosecutors say Goble paid for improvements to Franklin’s home and tuition for Franklin’s children to Drexel University and Tulane University. Goble also paid off a truck loan and Franklin’s credit cards.
Goble’s reading program, called EDNA, for Early Detection Necessary Action, provided training and supplies for kindergarten through third grade. Officials have said Greenville was the only school district in Mississippi using EDNA.
She is founder and president of Teach Them to Read Inc., a reading-intervention company.
Goble pleaded guilty Oct. 7 in federal court in Oxford to one count of bribing Franklin. No sentencing date has been set. She faces a maximum of five years in prison and three years’ supervised release.
Goble, of Conyers, Ga., faced 10 counts of providing things of value to Franklin in exchange for the school contract.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.