Parents of kids in the Durham Public Schools must be wondering why the system employs a superintendent that can’t be trusted with a public credit card. And if they aren’t wondering about it, they should be wondering about it. Last night, the Durham school board cancelled Superintendent Eric Becoats’ credit card after finding questionable spending habits. Chairwoman Heidi Carter commented this way, according to the Herald-Sun.

Carter, speaking for the board, would not elaborate on what led to the decision to terminate the credit card.

She already had suspended Becoats’ use of the card in the wake of reports that he rang up more than $20,000 in charges over the span of 12 months, mostly for travel to out-of-state professional conferences, hotel stays and meals (including appreciation dinners for school district employees)

Becoats had previously used a Durham public school bus for family transportation. Incredibly, he said he didn’t realize that was against policy. He was reprimanded.

And, according to this Durham News story, Becoats has a history of this kind of thing.

Despite it all, he remains in a powerful and consequential position that requires the public trust.