SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — State School Superintendent Michele Blatt says a special circumstance review team will be sent to Nicholas County Schools to look into a conflict regarding the hiring of an employee with a previous criminal record.

The controversy arose after it was made known that Nicholas County School Superintendent Terrence Beam hired his grandson, who teachers, staff, and parents within the system allege is a registered sex offender on the West Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry.

Michele Blatt

The dispute and allegations, which have been publicly-argued across social media, were brought up Wednesday during the state Board of Education’s regular monthly meeting.

Blatt said they were aware of the situation, and on April 2, the state BOE’s Officer of Accountability Jeff Kelley and his team put together a Special Circumstance Review letter citing the areas they would be looking into.

“Including Superintendent, central office leadership, and the board’s effectiveness and personnel, so we’re ready to begin investigation and see what all is going on in Nicholas County,” Blatt said during Wednesday’s meeting.

Heather Tully, a grandmother of five students in Nicholas County Schools spoke up on behalf of the ongoing controversy during the meeting.

Tully said despite the superintendent’s grandson disclosing on his application that he had this kind of criminal record, and despite the policy in Nicholas County Schools that prohibits registered sex offenders from all school grounds, he was still employed by the school system.

She said in his initial contract, he was employed on a temporary summer position lasting 40 days, but he continued to be employed for well-beyond that time for another nine months.

Tully said at the time of his crime, he was 21 years old and the victims were all significantly underage

“The victims, as I understand it, were all under the age of 13 when that happened,” Tully said. “He was far old enough to know better and correct his behavior, and yet he ended up being hired into our school system under the supervision of his grandfather.”

Tully continued to allege that there were some other illegal hiring practices around his employment, because the additional position he was hired for was never posted.

She said Beam ignored the policies and clearly hired his grandson on the grounds that he was family.

“Chapter 18, Article 4, section 10 states that only the county superintendent is responsible for tendering nominations for hiring employees, so obviously Mr. Beam made the nomination for the hiring of his grandson, that is obviously nepotism,” she said.

Tully said Beam not knowing his grandson’s criminal record is implausible as there is also policy that dictates a superintendent is responsible for disseminating the information on the sex offender registry to the individual schools.

She said it wasn’t until public outrage broke out after the situation came to light that any intervention occurred regarding his termination as an employee of Nicholas County Schools.

Another concerned parent, Linda Angus is a mother of two students in the county. Also speaking at Wednesday’s state board meeting, Angus said the situation is appalling.

“I am appalled by the recent actions and utter disregard to the safety that has been exhibited concerning the children of Nicholas County Schools by our administration,” Angus said.

Angus asked the state BOE to take swift action in restoring the county school system, the quality of education, and the safety of students by stepping in immediately.

“The clear nepotism and disregard for the student’s safety is inexcusable and demands your immediate intervention given our local board of education has taken zero action to date to address the individuals in charge of hiring this sex offender,” said Angus.

Blatt said they will present preliminary findings as soon as possible into the investigation once the state BOE special circumstance review team steps in.