Editorials, Opinion Following a tumultuous year, the rural Mount Pleasant School District appears to be making some good headway in its efforts to “right the ship.”
Earlier this year Cheryl Randall, who worked for the School District for 27 years, resigned after being charged with theft for allegedly using a school district credit card to purchase gas for her personal vehicle. Randall, who was the district’s bus driver, recess aide, cafeteria and custodial supervisor, and building maintenance supervisor, eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay restitution, serve one day in jail and four days of community service, and serve probation for two years.
The debacle also led to tension between some School Board members and Linda Slattery, who at the time was serving as superintendent and was the person who initially reported inconsistencies in receipts submitted by Randall to the Washington State Auditor’s Office and the police. Slattery eventually resigned saying she had been intimidated and harassed by school board members.
It was a year many district taxpayers, employees, parents and students would surely like to forget.
With the recent hiring of Peter Tarzian as its new superintendent, however, it appears Mount Pleasant is working hard to put these bad times behind them.
