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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 10, 2005 School district will go to court Medford district seeks to overturn D.A.’s opinion that e-mail correspondence is a public record By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune The Medford School District plans to go to court to protect the privacy of people making public comments via e-mail. The district intends to seek a Jackson County Circuit Court ruling that would block and clarify an order that school officials must release as public record the names and e-mail addresses of people who commented on a proposed health curriculum update. Jackson County District Attorney Mark Huddleston ordered last week that the comments should be released with names and addresses because the public is entitled to know who is potentially influencing policy decisions. He said disclosing the information wasn’t an unreasonable invasion of privacy. The Mail Tribune had asked for Huddleston’s legal opinion after school officials refused to release identifying information with comments. "Our interest is to protect the children entrusted to us," Superintendent Phil Long said. He said people commenting had recounted personal experiences that identified specific students and might not have realized that their comments were public. "They were in the privacy of their own home, thinking they were addressing the board, not the whole community," he said. Advertisement Mail Tribune Editor Bob Hunter said the district’s call for public comment on its Web site was no different than asking people to come forward at a public meeting to discuss policy and the comments shouldn’t be treated differently. "It’s a staple of open government that the process is open and people know the factors that go into a decision," he said. "We intend to protect the public records law and expect the district to follow it." Hunter added that the paper wouldn’t publish people’s e-mail addresses or any information that would harm or humiliate students. The Mail Tribune also would contact people for verification before publishing their comments. Long said the district also wants to ensure that board members see comments sent on policy issues before they are available to the public or the media. District officials expect to spend about $1,000 to file in Circuit Court and dedicate staff time to a court hearing. "We are concerned with how we use all resources, but this is the cost of preserving the trust parents have in us," Long said. "This is about balancing how we serve young people and their families and the public in general." Reach reporter Anita Burkeat 776-4485, or e-mail School district will go to court ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Advertisement s