Principal Prince I-Team follow-up

CBS 12 broke the story about charges against Palm Beach Gardens High School Principal Jonathan Prince.

He's accused of mis-using about $4,000 in taxpayer dollars.

The CBS 12 I-team did some digging today and found out what he spent your taxpayer dollars on.

On Friday, we were the first to tell you that Palm Beach Gardens High School Principal Jonathan Prince was in trouble. We exclusively uncovered documents showing the school board was recommending a 20 day suspension and demotion to assistant principal at another school.

Why?

The school board said Prince used his "P" card (which is the school expense account card) to "misuse district funds."

In documents CBS 12 obtained it looks as though most of the money went to food, gas and gift cards.

There are hundreds of charges on the account from January 2008 to December 2008.

Too many to list...but here are a few.

-One of the 14 charges in January...$144 dollars and 20 cents at Publix for long steam roses candy and cards. Prince claimed that was for office secretaries.

-Skipping to April of 08, $165.25 at Too Jays...$30 dollars at Duffy's. Prince says these charges again, were for office employees.

-In June $79.94 for Andrews Downtown Lunch. Prince says it was either with his wife or colleagues and was "unaware of P card restrictions".

-In July one of the 17 charges that month on the card was $195.59 for Ruth's Chris Steak House...dinner for two. Again, Prince says he was "unaware of P card restrictions".

The list goes on for pages ending in December of 2008 with 13 charges on the account including 48.37 at Publix for candy. Prince says it was for his staff to promote morale and he "thought it was permissible."

In fact, in the school board's investigative report the investigator says, "why is it the tax payers responsibility or the school districts responsibility to pay for employees at happy hour referring to a charge on the account from Abbey Road in September 2008.

Prince said "I thought food was ok"

"I don't feel like somebody sat me down and said 'you know Jon you can do this and you can't do that."

In fact Dr. Prince said he had a complete misunderstanding of what the P card was supposed to be used for.

"If he has made a mistake or a slip we have to consider all the wonderful things he's done for boys and girls."

"We all make mistakes."

CBS 12 has been told that Prince has paid back all of the money.

Also, CBS 12 is the only station with a copy of an e-mail the now former principal Prince sent to his staff saying:

Teachers and Staff,

I hope you are having a restful summer. Sadly, I will no longer serve in the capacity as your Principal. Words cannot express my appreciation you have extended to me and my family these past five years I have spent at Palm Beach Gardens High School. In that time, I have seen you make history, and return your school to the prominence and respect it deserves.

I will not be moving into the new school with you. Instead, I have captured that history of "what was" in my mind, and it will always be my moving force as I go forward in the service of students in this District. I want you to know that I have always accepted responsibility for all that has occurred at our school under my watch, and I have to bare the responsibility of the things I could have (and should have) done better.

I will sum it up with this... It is the best job I will ever have. Because it wasn't my job. It was my life.

My sincerest thanks for working so hard on my behalf. Each of you have etched a place in my heart that will never be erased. I feel so fortunate that you have had a hand in writing the most meaningful chapters of my life.

Good luck, I will miss you, and I will always be a Gator.