Appalling behavior of school after struggling teachers credit card was stolen for students shopping spree

An Illinois art teacher has hit out at her employer after a student stole her wallet and made hundreds of dollars in purchases - claiming the district is trying to sweep the situation under the rug.

Tammy Huggins, an art teacher at Mason-Clark Middle School in the East St. Louis School District, claimed that one of her 13-year-old students lifted her wallet in early March.

She did not realize what had happened until March 21 when she started to receive text messages from her credit card company about suspicious purchases.

I saw there was a $220 charge for Shein and immediately I went to check my purse, Huggins told First Alert 4. 

I was like, "Oh, Shein. I know who did this," she added.

Her suspicions were then confirmed when several students told her that their classmate bragged about stealing her wallet to make Shein and Doordash purchases.

When the students family found out, school Principal Renaldo Jackson told Huggins they want to make you whole and the student wants to apologize.

At that point, Huggins said Jackson handed her just one of her credit cards.

Tammy Huggins, an art teacher at Mason-Clark Middle School in the East St. Louis School District, claimed that one of her 13-year-old students tole her wallet in early March

She is now accusing school officials of trying to sweep the incident under the rug

She says she has still not received all of the cards, her wallet, nor $200 she had inside.

Im a teacher, I live paycheck to paycheck, Huggins lamented as she hit out at the principal for what she sees as his blasé attitude.

Even if it was $2, its still money taken from your personal belongings - and thats not right, she said.

In a letter to parents following the incident, however, Jackson claimed the school district helped Huggins file a police report and said that the thief wrote Huggins a formal apology.

Principal Renaldo Jackson told Huggins the family wants to make you whole and the student wants to apologize

In a statement to First Alert 4, school district officials also said they take all reports of lost or missing property seriously and address them in accordance with our policies and procedures.

Our priority is to maintain a safe and respectful learning environment for all students and staff, the district said.

While we cannot comment on specific situations, we remain committed to fostering a culture of integrity and responsibility within our schools.

Still, Huggins denied that school officials helped her with the report or that the student took any accountability for what had happened.

Instead, she says she is left hoping that the local police department will hold the student and her parents accountable.

DailyMail.com has also reached out to the school district and Huggins for more information.