School board sets protocol to limit information access
SAUGERTIES, N.Y. >> School district trustees have adopted a protocol that limits individual board members to only obtaining information that is already available to the public.
The guideline was adopted during a Board of Education meeting Tuesday, with board President Robert Thomann saying clarification was needed because some trustees were uncertain what could be requested from administrators.
“There was some confusion (on) the proper way to get information,” he said. “So we asked our attorney to ... spell it out so it’s clear for everybody.”
Under the protocol, trustees without board approval would be limited to the same information available to the public through a state Freedom of Information request.
“In the absence of a majority vote of the board, a single board member may still request any information that is generally available on the district’s website or publicly disseminated and/or posted in school buildings,” officials wrote.
The guidelines contend that trustees may need access to information “beyond that which is generally accessible to members of the community” but will need approval from the board to get it.
“A single board member may request certain information and/or reports which he/she can demonstrate is necessary if that board member’s request has the support of the majority of the board,” they wrote.
Thomann said requests for publicly available information could include items that are not commonly requested by the public.
“One of the examples is a proctoring schedule for exams,” he said. “Do we have enough teachers to proctor all the exams (and) what accommodations are being made?”
The protocol calls for information provided to one trustee to also be given to the entire board.
Thomann said the guidelines should help administrators avoid being overwhelm by the demands of an individual board member.
“Hopefully it would help the administration ... because it would clarify what can be asked for and what can’t be asked for,” he said.