How a school district responds to requests for public information says much about trust and confidence

[Guest guest]

Note the last paragraph - it says a lot about what we all have experienced

(or you could experience if it hasn't happened yet) in one way or another.

Amy

How a school district responds to requests for public information says much

about trust and confidence

Dianna Pharr

Columnist EdNews.org

When everything is going right, we rarely question the operations and

expenditures of our school districts. There were many years when I simply

baked cookies for the teacher appreciation luncheon, volunteered in my

child's elementary school, served on various committees and wrote an annual

check to the booster club. I did not know the location of the central

administration building of my school district much less the board room. I

had more than hope ... I had faith ... in my public school district.

Sometimes in life, our perspective changes without warning, sometimes so

dramatically that we are moved to action.

When our community began its public discussion of our district's budget

" crisis " in 2003, I began asking Eanes ISD for basic public information that

was not readily available from the district or in any other venue, seeking

information to answer questions about spending and other topics, hoping to

increase the public's awareness and understanding of proposed cuts to

academic or other programs. Many in our community questioned our district's

abundant athletic spending and its apparent absence from the evolving lists

of proposed budget cuts.

Community members and teachers provided the ideas for my information

gathering efforts. Afraid of retaliation, many feared submitting their own

requests to the district. " Can you get the board minutes and agendas? "

" Are the coach's salaries and stipends public information? " " Are disabled

children appropriately identified and served in the gifted program? " " Are

we charging private athletic clubs to use our public facilities? " " Who

benefits from the money generated by the Jumbotron? " " How safe are our

school campuses? " " Does the district comply with federal law ... are our

school facilities accessible as required by ADA ... playgrounds, stages, and

restrooms? " " Are emails between and among the superintendent and board

members public information? " " Have the board members completed required

conflict of interest forms? " As I reviewed documents related to the

operations and expenditures of our district, I formed a perspective that was

truly troubling. I was also shocked by the inability or unwillingness of

the district to provide information in an efficient and effective manner.

When my school district refused my offer as a volunteer to post the public

information to the official district website, I created my own website and

posted the public information without editorial comment. Our community

library supported open government and reserved a portion of the reference

shelves for hard copies of the information. The library also linked

<http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/> www.keepeanesinformed.com to their site

for easy online reference. I recognized that all who reviewed public

information would have varying perspectives. Information is the essential

first step to action - all sorts of actions.

I hoped that others would use the site's information to learn, form, and

then communicate their own opinions regarding the policy, practice and

priorities of our school district.

Almost immediately after I published my website, my focus was diverted. In

November 2003, the Eanes ISD board published my young son's confidential

information including his medical information and released it to the public

in writing during a board meeting. As always, I first attempted to resolve

this matter within the school district. Eanes ISD retained an outside

attorney to represent the district. I represented my son pro se. When the

Eanes ISD administration and then board denied my complaint, I submitted a

formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.

Again, the district retained attorneys to battle my child's privacy rights.

I represented my son pro se. In January 2005, when the agency ruled against

the district and found that it did not comply with FERPA law, Eanes ISD

could have simply complied with the federal law, protected children, and

changed their policy and procedure - at no cost to the district. Instead

the district again retained attorneys to appeal the adverse finding. Again,

I represented my son (and therefore every other child whose records are

maintained by public schools) pro se. Again, in March 2007, the U.S.

Department of Education confirmed its finding against Eanes ISD. I did not

sue the school district for damages. Instead, I followed administrative

complaint processes in an effort to convince Eanes ISD to comply with

federal law created to protect children. A point to ponder: the district

described the release of my child's confidential information as

" inadvertent. " Yet our district leadership chose to retain tax-funded

attorneys to battle my child's privacy rights. Inadvertent?

I have learned much from my interactions with Eanes ISD. The work was both

difficult and profoundly illuminating. When I enrolled my children in the

Eanes ISD, I believed what I had heard - that Eanes ISD would educate and

protect my children. I did not question the status quo or the decisions of

those in charge. That was a mistake.

Trust. Confidence. School district lingo. " It's for the children. " When

public school districts spend our tax dollars to retain attorneys and

lobbyists to withhold our public information, and battle against our

children's rights, trust and confidence is impossible and children are hurt.

Taxpayers deserve value for each tax dollar spent by the adults in our

school systems. Teachers and parents have the right to readily access

public information reflecting the priorities and operations of our school

districts ... without fear of retaliation. However, more importantly, all

of our children have the right to be safe in school and fully access the

district's facilities and programs. We all have the right to trust those in

charge.

Dianna Pharr

<http://www.keepeanesinformed.com> www.keepeanesinformed.com

Published July 24, 2007

http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/

Amy A. Sosa

amy.sosa@...

Coppell, Texas

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