"Before blaming the Post-Dispatch, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education was preparing to thank the newspaper for discovering a significant data vulnerability, according to records obtained by the Post-Dispatch through a Sunshine Law request.

"In an Oct. 12 email to officials in Gov. Mike Parson's office, Mallory McGowin, spokeswoman for DESE, sent proposed statements for a press release announcing the data vulnerability the newspaper uncovered.

"'We are grateful to the member of the media who brought this to the state's attention,' said a proposed quote from Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven.

"Parson administration and DESE did not end up using that quote.

"The next day, on Oct. 13, the Office of Administration issued a news release calling the Post-Dispatch journalist a 'hacker.'"