The saga of Kay Powers and the Everett School District is equal parts shocking, sad and disheartening.
We now know that the former Cascade High School teacher had district-sanctioned surveillance cameras set up inside her classroom for a month in 2007, because she was suspected of helping publish an underground student newspaper.
Put aside the questionable legality of the spy camera. We are concerned primarily with the district’s lack of morality.
Against specific orders, Powers was helping the paper’s editors, a violation for which she was justifiably fired. A legal settlement saw her reinstated, and she now teaches at Jackson High.
Whatever egg there is now, however, and there is plenty, is clearly landing on the faces of administrators in the Everett School District.
Even acknowledged security cameras are unnerving to advocates of privacy. But secret cameras aimed at classroom doors are an absolute abomination.
Superintendent Carol Whitehead, who did not acknowledge the cameras despite allegations a month ago, has a serious problem on her hands.
Deputy Superintendent Karst Brandsma, the official who reportedly authorized the cameras, should not be given time to resign. He should be fired. The district lawyer who publicly denied the cameras should probably be dismissed.
We suspect other heads should also roll.
For the moment, however, we’ll let the Everett School Board ponder further specific reactions. Our suggestion? Be quick and severe.
Perhaps lost in this evolving story is the role of the press. It was a student newspaper the district was trying to stop. It was a professional newspaper — the Daily Herald in Everett — which helped break the spy camera news.
If ever we are supposed to trust authorities to squash the freedom of press, those authorities should at a minimum have earned our trust.
We don’t think that will be possible anytime soon in the Everett School District.
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