Teachers Upset Over ‘Snooping’ Private Investigator Granted Access To Locked Office

Some Bonner County teachers are worried items in their desks and classrooms are no longer private, after an investigator gained access to the locked library and office of the teacher’s union president.

“I’m concerned for our staff,” teacher Lynn Franck said. “I would like to think the things I keep in my desk about my students are private.”

Patrons and teachers quizzed Superintendent Max Harrell at a school board meeting earlier this week about the private investigator who was in the district last month. He was hired by a family who may sue the district. The family had a son in special education, and they claim the boy’s name was not kept confidential by the district.

The investigator went to Sandpoint Middle School with Special Education Director Bob Howman. The two apparently told the school principal that Harrell gave them approval to get into the locked library, where union president Joan Head has her office.

Harrell said the investigator took samples from several typewriters without permission from the central office. He apparently is trying to match a typed transcript of a taped telephone conversation that revealed the special education student’s name.

The superintendent said he initially didn’t know who hired the private investigator or why he was in the district. The man came to the central office and introduced himself, saying he wanted to talk to some employees, Harrell said.

“I had no idea of the extent of his investigation, and I still don’t.”

Harrell said he did not give the investigator permission to enter any locked rooms. But the schools are public buildings, and the investigator was accompanied by administrators, he said.

“It’s very hard to keep people out of public buildings,” Harrell said, adding the district had an obligation to respond to the investigation.

At Tuesday’s school board meeting, resident Ingrid Cipriano wanted to know who gave the investigator authority to go into a locked room. The excuse that the buildings are open to the public means residents should have the right to rummage through the superintendent’s office, she said.

“I don’t see a concern on your part,” Cipriano told Harrell.

The investigator talked to a district employee to find out if Head was at the school. After discovering she was teaching driver’s education, he and Howman went into Head’s office.

“Even though it is a school building and schoolroom, it is my room,” Head said. “I was never informed about it or asked. I do mind the way it was done.”

Harrell said the incident is “being pursued” but couldn’t comment further because of a possible lawsuit.

, DataTimes