The Casper Journal :: Casper's Community Newspaper

Multiple people recently contacted the Casper Journal with tips about a new out-of-state hire for an important and highly compensated job at the Natrona County School District.

Their concern motivated the Casper Journal to ask questions. Read the story on page 1, "Concerns raised about NCSD hire," and you'll see the basis for their concern.

The purpose of this story is not to start a witch hunt or attempt to blacklist anyone. The NCSD cabinet members and Superintendent Jim Lowham believe they have hired the right person for the job.

Good for them, and good for Julia Earl. Allegations from her past shouldn't prevent her from being able to seek out meaningful work in her chosen profession.

But when $100,000 of public money is spent on a person's salary and this type of information surfaces, the public has a right to know.

And the media has an obligation to ask questions, such as:

When was Earl hired? When did NCSD become aware of her background?

Were all of the school board members made aware of Earl's background? Why or why not?

What role does the board of trustees play in hiring?

Does the NCSD use Web sites like Google or MySpace to look into an applicant's background?

The answers to those questions, as best that we could gather them, are in the story this week. The reporter had a multitude of information to sort through in putting this story together, including incorrect information given by some of the people interviewed.

The only real cause for concern in this whole situation is that only two board members were made aware of Earl's background when enough cause arose that the district "immediately dove into an investigation," according to the story.

Board of Trustees Chairman Shannon Jackett said that the role of the board is to make policy, not hire and fire. And she's right.

But given the circumstances in this particular case, shouldn't all of the school board members been notified of Earl's background? Only Jackett and Human Resources Committee Chair Suzanne Sandoval were informed of the investigation into Earl's past.

When the Casper Journal questioned one member of the school board last week, he told us that Earl's name "didn't ring a bell." And he was a member of that same HR committee.

Again, with public money being spent, the public had the right to know these kinds of things. In this case, the public is represented by the school board, so why weren't all of the members informed?

Jackett's explanation to the Journal was that the board "ran out of time at the last executive session" in January when this was to be discussed. Given that $100,000 of public money will be spent on her salary each of the next three years, the board should have found time to discuss it.

There's no law regulating how long an executive session can last.

The Natrona County School District believes it has made the right hire for this position. We have no objection to that, and wish Earl the best in her new position.

But given the unique circumstances of this case, the public's elected representatives - all of them - had a right and a responsibility to know how public money was being spent.

The facts in today's Journal tell a story. But those involved will write the ending. Fair enough.

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