Wyomissing School Board publishing names, costs in Right-to-Know requests
April 27, 2010 | Filed in: Right to Know
Law | Open
records
By Darrin Youker
Reading Eagle
The Wyomissing School District has begun to publish the names of people who request information from the district under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law.
The district is now including in its school-board meeting agenda the name of the person who made the request, the information sought, the time it took to fulfill the request and how much money it cost the district. The new policy debuted Monday during the board's monthly meeting.
While the practice is not illegal, it flies in the face of the law's intent, said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
"In this situation, the schools are doing it as a deterrent from requesting information," Melewsky said before the board meeting.
Board members said they believe it is in the public's interest to know who is requesting the information and how much the request cost.
Requests made by residents cost the district money and keep staff from performing other tasks, board President Michelle Davis said.
"People wanted to know what it was costing us," she said.
Melewsky said providing public documents is not a cost to the district.
"Public accountability is not extra work," she said. "This is part of the obligation of being a public servant."
Wyomissing resident William Murray was the first person listed.
Murray, a former school board candidate, made three requests in February and March relating to the search for a new superintendent. The district said the requests cost $217.50.
Two businesses that made requests were also listed Monday.
At the meeting, Murray said the board was attempting to discourage people from seeking information.
Residents who ask for information are doing so to help the district and to exercise their rights, he said.
Board members backed away from another proposed policy that would have required residents to register three days before board meetings to discuss nonagenda items at the meeting.
Board member Scott Painter said the point was to give administrators time to gather information, so they could be better prepared.
But other board members said the move would have prevented people from speaking at meetings. Board members said they might consider a policy that limits comments to five minutes or less.
Reading Eagle
The Wyomissing School District has begun to publish the names of people who request information from the district under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law.
The district is now including in its school-board meeting agenda the name of the person who made the request, the information sought, the time it took to fulfill the request and how much money it cost the district. The new policy debuted Monday during the board's monthly meeting.
While the practice is not illegal, it flies in the face of the law's intent, said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
"In this situation, the schools are doing it as a deterrent from requesting information," Melewsky said before the board meeting.
Board members said they believe it is in the public's interest to know who is requesting the information and how much the request cost.
Requests made by residents cost the district money and keep staff from performing other tasks, board President Michelle Davis said.
"People wanted to know what it was costing us," she said.
Melewsky said providing public documents is not a cost to the district.
"Public accountability is not extra work," she said. "This is part of the obligation of being a public servant."
Wyomissing resident William Murray was the first person listed.
Murray, a former school board candidate, made three requests in February and March relating to the search for a new superintendent. The district said the requests cost $217.50.
Two businesses that made requests were also listed Monday.
At the meeting, Murray said the board was attempting to discourage people from seeking information.
Residents who ask for information are doing so to help the district and to exercise their rights, he said.
Board members backed away from another proposed policy that would have required residents to register three days before board meetings to discuss nonagenda items at the meeting.
Board member Scott Painter said the point was to give administrators time to gather information, so they could be better prepared.
But other board members said the move would have prevented people from speaking at meetings. Board members said they might consider a policy that limits comments to five minutes or less.