PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The School District of Philadelphia is reportedly firing two employees who were suspended in the flap over a security contract that was steered to a minority firm.

Francis Dougherty, an aide to deputy schools superintendent Lee Nunery, and John Byars, vice president of procurement services, are being terminated, according to reports in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.

The two employees, who reportedly leaked information about the school district’s procurement practices, were suspended last fall during a district investigation (see related story).

Pennsylvania State Representative Michael McGeehan sought to have the employees protected under the state’s whistleblower law (see previous story).

“We should encourage people to come forward when they see waste and abuse,” he told KYW Newsradio this morning, “and these firings are the latest slap in the face to everybody who cares about quality education and the fiscally prudent expenditure of taxpayers’ money.”

A district investigation found no wrongdoing in the security camera contract that was awarded to a minority firm.

Reported by Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio 1060