PICKENS COUNTY — The School District of Pickens County is moving slowly, but steadily, in pursuing a case against former Liberty High School principal Randy Gilstrap.

Gilstrap and another LHS employee face charges involving missing money from school accounts.

School Board chair Alex Saitta said that the slow movement on the case is frustrating, but necessary.

“By law the district has to respect the privacy rights of all employees,” Saitta said. “Generally speaking whenever an employee is first investigated and then charged with a crime, there are a lot of legal hurdles the district needs to deal with. Each time an employee’s status is changed, let’s say from being on the job, to an employee on leave with pay, to an employee on leave without pay to termination, resignation or reinstatement, the employee has the right to a hearing and legal representation. Employees have rights, employers can’t deny those rights and the district must follow the law/ the policy.”

Saitta said he has complete faith in the district personnel who are handing the case.

“The legal process is long and difficult at times,” Saitta said. “Dr. (Henry) Hunt and Kelly Pew have done an excellent job working through the process.”