The superintendent of Argo Community High School was placed on paid administrative “reassignment” after a local news source questioned him about his credit card charges.
Who is this fool?
Dr. William Toulios is superintendent of Argo Community High School, which is located in southwest suburban Summit, Illinois, and has around 1,800 students.
The district pays Toulios an annual salary of nearly $200,000, plus a bonus and allowances for a car and clothing. He also has unlimited use of a district credit card, which taxpayers pay for.
What did he buy?
WGN Investigates reviewed copies of Toulios’ monthly statements from the last two years. The records revealed numerous charges for adult websites, a sexting service, and even male “medical treatment.”
What does his lawyer say?
Frank Avila, the superintendent’s lawyer, said his client never used the district credit card to pay for porn, claiming it was either fraud or used by another person without Toulios’ permission or knowledge. “This is not a scandal,” he said.
What does he say?
But Toulios said, “Whether someone wants to say it was one thing or another thing – this basically comes to, it was an accident. And instead of trying to hide or cover up, as people are trying to say – I actually came forward and did the right thing, which a public servant would do.”
So the superintendent admits to using the school’s credit card for pornographic sites, prescription drugs, and “medical treatments,” but says it was an accident.
What does the school board say?
Dan Kozal, the school board president, said the district handled the matter last year, when questions about Toulios’ credit card charges first surfaced.
“The seven board members that we have here – we all voted in confidence of Bill (the superintendent),” he said.
But that confidence cracked when the district was confronted with its own records.
The statements show 24 charges totaling more than $1,000 at an adult entertainment website over a five-month span ending March 2024.
The Explanation
“That mistake got made because I linked my card to my phone and unfortunately, a family member used my card without telling me,” Toulios said. “And it was way too late before I had a chance to remedy that.”
Records show Toulios reimbursed the district $457 last year. But he paid back less than half of what was spent on the site.
Then, multiple charges were made for what appeared to be an online payment processing site called Epoch. “Those are actually subscriptions to a news source—Epoch Times,” Toulios said. However, when questioned, Epoch Times said their charges on credit card statements don’t appear as just “Epoch.”
Some of the “transaction descriptions” under “Epoch” included the name of a sexting service. According to another news source, a mysterious charge was also listed under “Sexpanthe.”
Community Reaction
“This is embarrassing as a taxpayer,” said Cathy Paluch, a district resident. “I feel this has been brushed under the rug.”
After WGN asked questions, the board changed its position and placed Toulios on paid administrative reassignment. What that reassignment is is unclear.
“The Board of Education makes this decision in light of the growing demands for an independent investigation into purchases made by Dr. Toulios, which include the use of a school district credit card,” according to a statement.
“The Board of Education intends to promptly hire an independent accounting firm to review the extent of any unauthorized charges and to further advise the board,” the statement read.
At the board meeting, Toulios was asked about two charges at Hims & Hers Health Inc., a telehealth firm that treats, among other things, sexual health issues. He said it was fraud.
“Someone got hold of my card,” he said.
However, days later, his attorney said Toulios made those charges by mistake using the district credit card to treat an undisclosed medical condition.
Toulois and his lawyer need to get their story straight! But don’t worry—the superintendent “self-imposed” a half-day salary forfeiture.