March 16, 2022
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Lawsuit: MO AG Schmitt alleges Rockwood School District violated Sunshine Law - KMOV4

Missouri lawmakers, organizations push back against AG Schmitt's legal battle with school...
Missouri lawmakers, organizations push back against AG Schmitt's legal battle with school districts

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - The Missouri Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a St. Louis County school district citing Sunshine Law violations Wednesday.

In 2021, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland mobilized the FBI to work with local and state law enforcement to address the rise of harassment and threats of violence against school board members. In November, the Rockwood School District posted an FBI tip line to allow the public to report threatening or harmful behavior made by parents outraged by mask mandates policies.

Wednesday, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt sued the district over their failure to produce records that he previously requested.

“The Rockwood School District has not produced the records requested by my Office, and instead demanded an upfront payment with improperly assessed copying fees – that’s why I’m taking them to court. Parents and students of the Rockwood School District deserve to see these public records, and I will keep fighting for transparency in Missouri’s schools,” Schmitt said. He adds that he still hasn’t received the records.

His office asked for the following documentation:

  1. Emails between board members and the FBI or DOJ;
  2. Emails relating to parents that had been, or were being considered to be, reported to the FBI;
  3. Emails related to how the decision was made to post a link to the FBI tip line on the district’s website

“We are aware of the Attorney General’s lawsuit against the Rockwood School District, but we have not been officially served with the document,” the district said in a statement to News 4. “The District understands its obligations under the Missouri Sunshine Law and is confident it has acted in compliance. Once we are served with the lawsuit, we will confer with our attorneys as to next steps.”

The Attorney General’s Office yesterday filed suit against the Missouri School Boards’ Association for failing to respond to a Sunshine Law request.

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source: https://www.kmov.com/2022/03/16/lawsuit-mo-ag-schmitt-alleges-rockwood-school-district-violated-sunshine-law/

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