Maufas' daughter took items, superintendent says
Apr 23, 2010
from the article by Jill Tucker on SFGate.com:
The 22-year-old daughter of a San Francisco school board member stole a district laptop and $250 from another school board member and a district staff member while her mother attended board meetings in the same building, district officials confirmed Friday.
Francesca Maufas, the daughter of board member Kim-Shree Maufas, took the laptop and $90 cash from a third-floor office of a senior staff member during the school board's March 9 meeting at district headquarters, officials said. A surveillance camera captured the 22-year-old in the hallway and entering the office, said Superintendent Carlos Garcia.
She confessed to the theft the next day and disclosed the location of the laptop, which she had stashed in the building, Garcia said.
The younger Maufas also acknowledged taking at least $160 from board member Jill Wynns' purse, which had been placed under a desk in the board's office during a late February committee meeting.
No police report was filed. Garcia said the district declined to contact police regarding the laptop theft because the computer never left the building and was returned in 24 hours.
"Had the computer been taken off grounds, I might have viewed it differently," he said.
Francesca Maufas "was very up front about it. If that hadn't happened, we would have immediately called in police," Garcia added.
He left the decision to file a report with police over the stolen money to the two victims, who so far have declined.
The money had yet to be returned.
"I think it's an unfortunate incident," Wynns said. "The superintendent told me that the district would not file a report and that I could if I wanted to, but that he was trying to work out some arrangement for restitution and to satisfy all our concerns about protecting the district and all employees."
Wynns said she was waiting for an update on that arrangement before making a final decision on police involvement.
Francesca Maufas could not be reached for comment.
In an arrangement Garcia worked out with Maufas and her daughter, the 22-year-old would be required to volunteer in San Francisco Peer Court, a nonpunitive alternative for youth offenders, often referred to as restorative justice. It's unclear what the younger Maufas' role would be.
In addition, she is expected to pay back the money, write a letter of apology and enter the school district building only accompanied by her mother.
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