Oldham County Schools angers parents by publishing open records requests

Oldham County Schools angered parents last month when it published a list of open records requests it had received this year that contained names as well as sensitive information about some students.

The document, which was posted to the district's website following a query sent by a Courier Journal reporter, was taken down within hours after parents voiced concerns about the lack of redacted names and the motive behind the public release.

The list contained the names of each person who has asked to inspect district records from July 2022 to Sept. 18, 2023, as well as their requests. The requests included the names of three different students who were described as either sexual or physical assault victims. At least one is a foster child. The list also included the names of three other students and the home address of a former employee.

"I think they are just lashing out to make people look bad now," said Denise Gillman, a parent who has made multiple records requests. "They don't want anyone rocking the boat."

The district maintains that it did nothing illegal as open records requests are public, but it sent a letter to parents informing them of what happened.

"This document did not contain the actual records requested, but it did contain the verbiage of the request you submitted for your child, including your child's name," the letter stated.

Oldham County letter by Krista Johnson

In an email to The Courier Journal, district attorney Eric Farris said the material "did not include any student’s educational information. Nonetheless, out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of protecting our students’ information, we have redacted the student names from the document."

The comprehensive list released by the district included about 120 requests. About 50 were focused on finances or two active lawsuits against Superintendent Jason Radford and the board.

There were also nine requests regarding neglect and abuse records and 10 about policy and meeting information. The others covered a variety of topics including safety reports, job openings and transfer records.

More than 30 people submitted requests over the roughly 14 months.

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Parents question reason for records release

Sarah Little, a parent who submitted 10 of the requests, said she felt the release of the requesters' names was a form of intimidation.

"I don’t think that the district wants to be transparent with parents and I’m not sure why," Little said. But "every time that a parent requests information ... they have every right to do so and there’s a reason."

"To make it publicly known who the parents are and what they are requesting seems retaliatory," she said.

But district spokeswoman Lori Webb denied there was any intent to intimidate requesters. She added that a board member had verbally asked for the list - which was posted six days after The Courier Journal made its request - at least two months ago.

"Oldham County Schools’ report of Open Records Requests received constitutes a record which is 'prepared, owned, used, in possession of…a public agency,' so the report is therefore subject to inspection by the public pursuant to Kentucky’s Open Records Act," Webb said. "This is a document Board members requested months ago to be included in the monthly information packet. There is no intent other than to present what was requested."

Gillman said the unredacted release included the name of her foster son, who has been with Gillman since March of 2018. The public release of his name was shocking, she said.

"Because I work with the state and the training I've had as a foster parent, I've never even posted a photo ... on my Facebook page, because I am not supposed to," Gillman said.

The district's letter after his name was released was, in her opinion, insufficient.

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"I wish they'd issue an apology but I think that's wishful thinking - for them to accept responsibility," she said.

The letter said legal parents and guardians "can inspect any record pertaining to their child," by directly contacting the school and that an open records request was not needed.

But that hasn't been her experience, Gillman said, explaining that she'd tried repeatedly to obtain the records she was seeking by calling her son's school before she began seeking them through open records requests.

"That was my only resort - to put in an open records request," she said. "That is my right and if I can't get it on my own by calling or emailing and I am ignored, what else am I going to do?"

District leader complains about records costs

The Courier Journal asked for the records because Radford had said an increase in open records requests was leading to inordinate attorney fees.

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Oldham received nearly 100 requests in the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, compared to just 16 the prior fiscal year, according to the district.

Meanwhile, the district spent $175,000 on attorney fees for about 540 hours of work over a roughly 10-month period from October 2022 through Aug. 8. Of that, Radford said $54,000 was for help responding to requests to inspect records, many of which were submitted by a former employee who is now suing the district.

Additionally, district employees spent an estimated 505 hours at a cost of nearly $20,000 fulfilling requests since January, Webb said.

Contact reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Oldham County Schools: Open records posting angers parents