ROCKFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS: WHEN PUBLIC RECORDS BECOME A BURDEN?
A reader sent me a video from a Rockford Public Schools board meeting discussing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
According to the discussion, the district has received 73 FOIA requests this year alone. That's approximately 7.3 requests per month.
That raises a few questions.
🔎 How many requests were granted?
🔎 How many were denied?
🔎 How many resulted in substantial fees?
And here's something else that caught my attention.
During the discussion, there's a suggestion that emails requesting information should be handled through the FOIA process.
Okay. But how often have taxpayers been told, "If you have questions, just ask"?
What happens when asking questions becomes a formal records request?
Now, listen carefully around the 3:25 mark.
The speaker discusses the time being spent on FOIA requests and the need to address it, emphasizing that the district is ultimately there to serve teachers and students.
Lady B doesn't disagree with serving teachers and students. Not one bit.
But here's what I think is missing from that conversation.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALSO SERVE THE PUBLIC.
Teachers and students deserve support. Taxpayers and community members deserve transparency. Those responsibilities are not mutually exclusive.
FOIA requests may require staff time and resources. That's a legitimate operational concern.
But access to public records isn't a favor granted by a school district. It's part of public accountability.
💋 My question is simple:
At what point does responding to public records requests become viewed as a distraction from public service, rather than part of it?
Watch the video and decide for yourself. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1KHxGRdnT8/
#LadyBudgetdown #SocietySpendingExposed #RockfordPublicSchools #FOIA #PublicTransparency #MichiganSchools
Rockford Public Schools