Critics unhappy with district FoIA changes

By Elyssa Vondra
Posted 5/10/18

Lexington-Richland School District Five wants to change how the public gains information.

Some community member are not happy about it.

District officials say they want to change policy to …

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Critics unhappy with district FoIA changes

Posted

Lexington-Richland School District Five wants to change how the public gains information.

Some community member are not happy about it.

District officials say they want to change policy to match changes in the state Freedom of Information Act.

At its March 26 meeting, the Board of Trustees discussed the similarities between the FoIA and board policy, said District Five director of communications Katrina Goggins.

They said FoIA law changes prevent “burdensome requests” for information but school board policy doesn’t.

According to this policy, those with public inquiries can sign up before board meetings to ask questions during the “public participation” portion.

The entire board then considers them and provides answers by the next monthly meeting.

Under state law, the district has 15 days to respond to requests, not the 30 days between board meetings.

The official policy states responses are posted on the district website.

The board will consider removing the words requiring questions to be submitted in writing and posted online at their upcoming May board meeting.

Some community members say they fear that eliminating this protection will reduce their ability to receive responses to inquiries in a timely manner.

“I do not support any of the changes and am particularly concerned at losing our ability to receive answers to questions,” said former board member Kim Murphy in an email to the Chronicle.

The district says the FoIA provides enough guarantee for communication with the public and assures financial costs of answering questions are covered.

The person requesting the information may be charged for copying printed materials and staff time.

SC Press Association attorney Jay Bender said he advises his clients to request “access to information.”

That means they can see the information rather than having to pay to have it copied.

The board said the district answers questions day-to-day and most inquiries aren’t written in the formal process protected by policy.

Board member Jan Hammond abstained on the initial vote on the policy, she wrote in a letter to the Chronicle, because she wanted more information about it.

Murphy and other community members say they suspect the change is aimed at silencing public questions.

Murphy said she believes the district wants to change policy and meet once monthly instead of twice to control what the public sees and hears.

“They want to continue to do their business in the dark, without influence from those who elected them and keep quiet their indiscretions.”

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