Mars School District officials are correct in adhering to all conditions contained in an eight-page document dealing with the resignation of James Delane, Mars Primary Center principal. Delane's departure is a personnel issue that rightly deserves confidentiality within the bounds of reason.

However, it was neither in Delane's nor the school district's best interests that the agreement apparently does not stipulate one important disclosure. If applicable - and it must be assumed that such is the case, since Delane's situation apparently involved no police action - the agreement should have dictated that the point be stressed that the problem that caused Delane to resign did not directly involve a district pupil or pupils.

For parents' peace of mind, the revelation of Delane's departure should have been allowed to go that far in terms of what was permitted to be said.

Instead, neither the documents - nor school district officials' announcement of the resignation - provided a hint of the issue that resulted in the legal accord requiring Delane's departure, which was effective June 30. Unfortunately, that stance has the potential to work neither in the best interests of Delane nor the school district; it could plant the seed for inaccurate suppositions or cruel rumors.

The agreement states that both the school district and Delane "wish to resolve the outstanding disciplinary charges" against Delane and his employment status with the district "without the need for time-consuming and costly litigation."

According to the agreement, the district had initiated disciplinary action against Delane, and district officials understood Delane planned to deny and legally contest the action.

The district agreed to withdraw the disciplinary charges in exchange for the resignation. The board agreed that the resignation could be tendered without Delane admitting any wrongdoing.

Still, it is understandable that, despite the agreement providing for confidentiality about the nature of the problem, some district residents would be troubled by the secrecy. Some residents criticized the board regarding what the residents portrayed as a veil of secrecy while others praised Delane's service to the district.

Since the agreement permits William Pettigrew, district superintendent, to provide a positive written employment recommendation for the now-former principal, and the fact that Delane will retain some of his benefits, such as health insurance, through the 2005-06 school year, it must be assumed that the allegations against Delane were not consistent with a worse-case scenario.

Thus, there should have been a window for the school district to say more.

That no window apparently exists has posed what would seem to be an unnecessary restriction on the public's right to know - and peace of mind.