G. Moritz, Editor
The Gazette has learned that former GHS Principal Chris Long has been hired and will serve as the new Superintendent of Lyman County School District, in Presho, South Dakota. This was confirmed by Melissa Slaba of the Lyman County Herald and by Mr. Long himself, who said that he’s looking forward to the challenge of starting off in this new district.
From this we can infer several things. Whatever reasons the Garretson administration and school board had for Mr. Long’s suspension and termination, the Garretson School Board either did not choose to submit the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law to the State Department of Education, or if they did, the State Department of Education must have concluded that whatever “practices and procedures” Mr. Long violated in his employment contract, did not rise to the level of permanent or even temporary disciplinary action by the Department of Education. By law, the SD Secretary of Education could have imposed a permanent revocation or temporary suspension to Mr. Long’s teaching certificate credentials. This did not happen. Any educator in the state who has had their certificate revoked is listed on the state’s official website, and Mr. Long has never appeared on that list.
Whatever the case, and with the controversy that simmered around these issues, our readers have variously expressed both relief and annoyance that Mr. Long did not lose his education credentials.
