Administrators in Kentucky district say they were threatened with retaliation

From The Lexington Herald-Leader: Two administrators in the Breathitt County (Ky.) school district contend in lawsuits that board members and the former superintendent retaliated against people who cooperated with federal investigators in a vote-buying probe. The lawsuits, filed by Charles David Napier, assistant superintendent, and Steve Banks, transportation director, allege that the former superintendent, Arch Turner, said that he would get even with people who had given information to authorities and that he had a long memory. Turner, as well as several current for former board members, are named as defendants in the suits. Turner has been convicted of vote-buying charges and now is in prison. The state of Kentucky decided last week to take over management of the Breathitt county district.

Earlier....from The Lexington Herald-Leader: The Kentucky Board of Education is taking over day-to-day management of the Breathitt County school system after finding significant problems in the local administration of the district. Education Commissioner Terry Holliday will be in charge of all decisions on spending, administration, personnel and instruction in the Breathitt County district; he is likely appoint a state manager to act for him. The county's longtime superintendent, Arch Turner, pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges that he led a conspiracy to buy votes in 2010, that he encouraged others involved to cover up the scheme, and that he lied to the FBI. He was sentenced to two years in prison.