A due process hearing regarding the three-day suspension of Palmerton Area High School Principal Paula Husar was held in private in front of only the school board Wednesday night following a legal ruling from the hearing officer.

According to multiple lawsuits filed by Husar against the district, the suspension was for an "alleged mishandling of a school bus incident."While Husar wanted the hearing to be public, Palmerton Superintendent Scot Engler objected based on privacy concerns for the student or students involved in the incident.Lawyers for both sides argued their case behind closed doors in front of an out-of-town hearing officer, Christopher Lantz of Wellsboro.The district hired Lantz in June at a rate of $185 per hour plus expenses and mileage."My decision to make the hearing private was based on the legal arguments made by both sides," Lantz said. "The law cited is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The concern is that the student or students involved could be identified. The mother of the student also asked that the hearing be private."Following the hearing, which lasted just past 11 p.m., board President Chuck Myers said he couldn't give details about the testimony."The board will not comment on this personnel matter," he said. "An official action will need to be approved, likely at an upcoming board meeting."The decision to make the hearing private didn't sit well with between 40 and 50 residents who showed up to hear the testimony."It's discouraging," said Ken Sutton. "This should have been determined before we got here. I think it's just a stall tactic."Palmerton has a board workshop scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 1 and a regular board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 15.