Our View: Misuse of public money warrants explanation

At this point, all that the public knows about possible misuse of money by a Jasper County School District employee is the amount.

Apparently, $54,000 has been "misused." But as far as how the money was misused, whether there is potential criminal activity involved or any other detail, the public is in the dark.

The school board, which revealed the misuse of money Dec. 30 after a closed session, said through its spokesman that it voted to fire the employee. But details of that firing process have not been revealed, other than to say the unnamed employee will be asked to explain the transaction and may request a closed-door hearing with the board. The name of the employee and whether that person is still with the district also has not been revealed.

The board plans to meet again at 6:30 p.m. Monday in another closed session on the matter, according to its chairman, Tedd Moyd.

State law allows public bodies to meet in closed session to discuss firing an employee, but misuse of public money goes beyond just a personnel matter. The public should be informed of what happened to the funds and all action taken to remedy that, including the name of the employee.

State law also allows an employee who is subject to a hearing to request that the proceedings be public. That, of course, is up to the employee, but the board seems to have removed that option.

As the board heads into a new year with four new board members -- following years of public mistrust and poor academic performance, as well as an ongoing investigation by federal and state agencies -- it must embrace openness.

The board has a chance to start anew with the resignation of superintendent Vashti Washington and the search for a new superintendent.

In the past it has kept up a veil of secrecy, with the exception of a few members, and walled itself off from the public. Its former chairman, Berty Riley, even went so far in 2014 to order deputies to remove a resident and two state legislators from a board meeting.

To their credit, some current board members have expressed a desire to make academic and financial-management improvements, and it appears the latest decision to fire an employee for misuse of money could be an initial step down that road. But there's no way to know for sure without the details being disclosed.

If it truly wants to improve the district, the board should start by doing a better job of informing the public.

Secrecy breeds mistrust, something Jasper County school officials have bred too much of in the past.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 9:48 PM with the headline "Our View: Misuse of public money warrants explanation."