Ethics Complaint Against Former Superintendent Wayne Workman Dismissed

Witch Hunter Sent Packing

It was a fine day for reason and justice when the Nevada Commission on Ethics review panel gave a polite but firm boot to an ethics complaint lodged against former Lyon County School District Superintendent Wayne Workman. This bit of drama, stirred up by one Joe Hart, a reporter of the inquisitive variety with KRNV, came about after Workman transitioned from superintendent to the district’s newly minted employee relations administrator—a position so fresh you could still smell the paint drying on the title.

Hart, ever the vigilant watchdog, filed his complaint in October, no doubt with all the fervor of a man convinced he had uncovered the crime of the century. In its wisdom, the Commission took a long, hard look at the allegations, interviewed district staff, examined the facts with the care of an old prospector panning for gold, and concluded that nothing improper happened.

Workman received official word of his exoneration on Thursday, and one could imagine him tipping his hat in satisfaction.

“That complaint was thoroughly investigated with the information I supplied,” Workman said in a manner befitting a man who knew he had done nothing worth the trouble.

“The Commission interviewed multiple staff members at the school district and they investigated the facts of the matter… and it was completely dismissed. There was no evidence that showed any inappropriate inactivity.”

Now, “inappropriate inactivity” means Workman was not lounging about, twiddling his thumbs, and collecting an undeserved paycheck. No, he had done things right—submitted his application, interviewed like any other hopeful soul, and secured the position through the district’s standard hiring process.

Superintendent Tim Logan, a man no doubt weary of such needless hullabaloos, confirmed that Workman’s hiring was as proper as Sunday church sermon.

“We’ve used the same hiring process for all candidates,” he said, in what one imagines was a tone of mild exasperation. “I personally was not on his committee.”

The Nevada Commission on Ethics, that venerable body tasked with sniffing out the scent of impropriety in public service, released a letter Thursday that all but patted Workman on the back.

“The facts do not establish credible evidence…” the Commissioners wrote in the measured language of bureaucracy, which is saying: “There’s no there, there.”

And thus, the great scandal of Lyon County, which might have kept some awake at night clutching their television remotes, was laid to rest.

“It has been frustrating there’s been this witch hunt,” Logan remarked, shaking his head at the sheer waste of time.

Workman, after all, is not some opportunistic interloper but a man with 18 years of service to the district, an educator of considerable experience, and a fellow growing weary of being dragged through the mud for doing his job. With the case dismissed, one might hope that the business of educating children could proceed unimpeded by baseless accusations.

Hopefully, Workman, for all his troubles, might at least get a moment’s peace before the next tempest in a teapot comes brewing.