By GRACE KINNICUTT and THOMAS GEYER
The Dispatch/Rock Island Argus
Mercer County School Board President Bill Smock issued a statement Thursday regarding the arrest of the district’s superintendent and two other employees for allegedly accessing student medical records.
Superintendent Timothy Farquer, 53, Williamsfield; Amberly Norton, 41, Aledo; and Andrea Long, 41, Aledo, were arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Norton and Long work in IT for the district.
Each is charged in Mercer County Circuit Court with one count of official misconduct, a Class 3 felony under Illinois law that carries a prison sentence of two to five years.
Each is also charged with one count of disclosing hospital or medical info and one count of computer tampering. Each of those charges is a Class A misdemeanor that carries a possible jail sentence of up to one year and a fine of up to $2,500.
“We understand the seriousness of the allegations and are cooperating fully with legal counsel and relevant authorities to ensure a fair and transparent review of the facts,” Smock said.
Smock said that Illinois school districts maintain student health records as part of students’ cumulative educational record as part of a legally recognized process.
Those records, he said, are essential to ensuring student safety, compliance with state mandates, and appropriate educational support.
“Under the Illinois School Student Records Act, student health records are explicitly defined as part of the student’s school record,” Smock said. “Their use by teachers, school nurses, and support staff is not only common but necessary to meet the educational and developmental needs of our students.
Smock said the school board emphasizes that these records are governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and ISSRA, not by HIPAA or medical privacy laws applicable to healthcare providers.
“We remain committed to protecting student privacy, supporting our staff, and upholding the integrity of our district,” Smock said. “We ask the community to withhold judgment until all facts are reviewed, and due process is respected.”
Aledo police had been investigating a complaint of employees at Mercer County School District illegally accessing the medical records of students throughout the district and gathered enough evidence to obtain a search warrant for Mercer County High School in Aledo and the district office in Joy. The search warrants were obtained and executed on Wednesday, Sept. 24, according to a news release from the Aledo Police Department.
Electronic devices were seized as evidence during the search of the building, according to the release.
Mercer County Sheriff’s Department assisted local police.
Farquer, Norton and Long each made a first appearance on the charges Thursday in Circuit Court. Each was released from custody with conditions.
Associate Judge Mathew Durbin schedule a preliminary hearing for Norton and Long for Oct. 7. Durbin scheduled a preliminary hearing for Farquer for Oct. 20.
This story is being republished with permission from the Moline Dispatch/Rock Island Argus.