Richland did hire him, but it wasn't long until the man came under suspicion again for allegedly frightening his nephew, a student at Jason Lee Elementary, by trying get the boy to disclose his address. School officials fired Caballero and started digging into his past. Richland then sued Mabton, seeking to recoup the money. This month, a Yakima County Superior Court judge ruled that the law prohibited Mabton from telling Richland about the arrest. That's probably true.
Any employer knows that divulging too much about a former employee can mean trouble.
But a responsible employer responds with silence, not praise, to inquiries about an employee who is bad news. School officials are charged with educating and protecting children. For them to help a suspected molester take a job near more young children is contemptible. If Richland's suit against Mabton makes its school officials think twice before doing the same thing again, it was worth the expense. Copyright 2001 Tri-City Herald.