The hiring of Liz McAteer, spouse of the Nevada County superintendent of schools, as a long-term substitute at Nevada Union High School is raising eyebrows.

Although those who know McAteer say she has all the credentials to deserve her new job, others see a conflict of interest.

McAteer has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from San Francisco State University. She graduated from National University this June with a single-subject teaching credential in English.

According to Maggie Deetz, superintendent of the Nevada Joint Union High School District, McAteer "has the right (to get the job). She has earned her credential and has proven in her student teaching that she is a highly qualified teacher.

"I think in a small community, it is important to allow a person to stand on her own and not be connected to who her spouse is," Deetz said.

For her part, McAteer said, "I can understand the concerns of people because I am married to Terry (McAteer, the superintendent). However, this is about me as a teacher, as well as about being a new teacher candidate in Nevada County who has gone through the National University credential program, who has also completed and passed all of the state testing requirements for new teachers."

Some teachers remain skeptical.

"In Nevada County, it's who you know that matters," said another graduate of National University, who asked not to be named. "I can think of at least three people who have not found jobs after graduating from National University because they did not go to school here or were young and did not have their children in schools here."

The source added, "Liz was not the only teacher in the program who had a degree in English. There were lots of them."

Others raised the same concerns but were reluctant to speak for the record, citing Terry McAteer's influence in the school district.

According to Sigurd Ostrom, the local union representative of the California Teachers Association: "Any time relatives are hired, there are questions." Ostrom said a conflict of interest "is possible," but he did not know the details of McAteer's case.

In other cases, people who are related to each other work for the Nevada Joint Union High School District.

In August, when NU was looking for a permanent English teacher, McAteer applied but was turned down. She has been working as a daily substitute at NU and Bear River high schools since August. She is set to begin working as a long-term substitute in January.

Both NU and Bear River have a list of people who are interested in working as substitutes. The list is prepared by the Superintendent of Schools office, according to Winni Wilde, who keeps the list at NU.

To be on the list, one needs to go to the superintendent's office, complete the paperwork and pay a fee, Wilde said.

Marty Mathiesen, principal of NU, said traditionally no interviews are done when hiring substitutes.

"Hiring substitutes and long-term substitutes is an entirely different process than hiring for a permanent position," he said.

The teacher's union representative agreed on that point. "If she was hired as a long-term substitute, I don't think the same procedure is necessary as if she was to be hired as a full-time teacher," Ostrom said. "Somewhere down the road, if the position is to change into a permanent position, I would expect the proper procedures to be followed, and our district generally does that."

Terry McAteer denied any conflict of interest in the hiring of Liz. "As a matter of fact, my wife, being the superintendent's wife, has had to jump through more hoops than usual because all eyes are on her," he said. "When all eyes are on you, you work harder and better, because you want to prove you are a good teacher, not just Mrs. McAteer."

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To contact Staff Writer Soumitro Sen, e-mail soumitros@theunion.com or call 477-4229.