It's nothing new. THEY DO IT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!-----Des Moines schools racked up six-figure travel bills in 2013-14

Des Moines schools racked up six-figure travel bills in 2013-14 - EAGnews.org:
"DES MOINES, Iowa –  Around 2010 and 2011, in the midst of the Great Recession, public schools throughout the nation were cutting costs dramatically.
One very common and logical cut for school employees was out-of-state travel.
The Des Moines, Iowa school district was one of the many districts to impose such a travel ban, as part of an effort to cut $3.3 million from its budget in 2010, according to news reports.
Forward to 2013, when the Des Moines district prepared its first budget in several years with projected revenues outpacing expenditures.
The toughest times had past and things were back to normal.
And sure enough, employees from the district were traveling again, and doing it a lot.
...Des Moines school employees spent at least $10,000 with seven different hotels, including Hilton Hotels ($15,764), La Quinta Inn Suites ($15,693), Charles Hotel ($12,852), Hyatt Hotels Atlanta ($11,802), Embassy Suites Airport ($11,678), The Warwick Hotel ($10,266) and Mariott Hotels Kansas ($10,075).
Those are apparently all pretty nice places to stay for a few days.
The Charles Hotel, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, advertises itself as an “upscale hotel with a spa, jazz club and restaurant.”
The district also spent $11,962 through Hotels.com.
Overall the district’s lodging tab for 2013-14 came to a cool $408,751.
Of course district employees had to reach their destinations to stay at those hotels. The district spent another $288,824 on air fare and related costs throughout the year.
The district’s favorite airlines were American ($75,974), Delta ($69,935), USAirways ($62,337) and United ($47,833).
School records didn’t reveal any tickets purchased from budget airlines like Jet Blue, which are known to pack in a few more passengers but charge significantly less.
A total of $13,740 went to travel agents.
No doubt the Des Moines school district was a preferred customer at those companies.
There was another $11,989 spent at various RV resorts.
...While they’re at it, taxpayers may also want to ask district officials about their restaurant tab.
District employees spent money at 735 food vendors in 2013-14, and spent a grand total of $58,174.
Two vendors – Planet Hollywood ($1,376) and Giordino’s on Jackson ($1,051) – made more than $1,000 off the district.
Another 161 vendors were paid at least $100.
Bon appetit to those employees who enjoyed all the nice dining, and our sympathies to the taxpayers who picked up the tabs."