Carmel district should have disclosed facts behind dismissals, counselor says

Indiana's public access counselor says a suburban Indianapolis school district should have disclosed the reasons it dismissed two top administrators.

Luke Britt received complaints from WTHR-TV and The Indianapolis Star after Carmel Clay Schools refused to explain why it dismissed former superintendent Nicholas Wahl and former human resources director Corrine Middleton.

Britt said in his findings that Wahl and Middleton were dismissed for "disciplinary reasons" following a three-month district investigation during which they were placed on paid leave in October. The pair resigned in January.

Britt found the district and its attorney tried to sidestep Indiana's public records law and "should have provided a factual basis" for their dismissals.

Indiana's law requires public school districts to disclose a "factual basis" whenever they take disciplinary action that leads to an employee being suspended, demoted or discharged.