As a crowd of about 50 people gathered in front of the Hathawy Building Monday Superintentent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill arrived at the Wyoming Department of Education planning to resume her duties as head of the department.

The Wyoming Legislature last year passed Senate File 104, a bill that stripped Hill of most of her duties as Superintendent of Public Instruction including running the Department of Education. The position was filled by Richard Crandall, who was appointed by Governor Matt Mead. The Wyoming Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional and denied a petition for rehearing from the state on the matter. The Supreme Court remanded the case back to the District Court to conduct further proceedings. Last week the state asked the District Court for a scheduling conference at its earliest convenience so counsel for the parties can resolve the matter.

Hill's Chief of Staff John Masters and attorney Sam Shumway went in first and spent some time with Department Director Richard Crandall. As the crowd moved to the second floor, the attorney's informed Mrs. Hill that the Wyoming Attorney General, in a letter to Crandall, said "a final order from the District Court will be the legally binding decision that alters the rights and duties of the parties." The Attorney General's letter went on to say that Senate File 104 remains in effect so consequently "the "management of the Department of Education" remains under the control of the Director."

Hill said she believes the WDE and its director are operating under an unconstitutional law. She said the state's approach would effectively “run out the clock” on my term of office. Which she said is exactly what the Supreme Court directed them not to do.” Hill said she was going to ask the District Court for an expedited order in the case.

 

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