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Dec 3, 2007 - The Island Packet is asking the same question we have asked of the Beaufort County School District. To date, the school district has paid out -- make that, taxpayers have paid out - $4.75 million to claimants who sued the district in connection with a teacher who molested nine children.
The newspaper: "We need to know the facts of this case so that we can fully understand public officials' handling of it and hold them accountable."
Only recently have we learned of a state Supreme Court rule that states settlements involving public entities cannot be kept secret: "Under no circumstances shall a court approve sealing a settlement agreement which involves a public body or institution."Less diplomatically, we have asked a half dozen times, "Why is the school board liable for that much money?
The lawsuits and the settlements should be opened up, with identifying information of the victims redacted. The judge can do that, and school district officials should push to make that happen.
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