Code KDB

PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW--FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

As a matter of policy, the School Committee hereby states its belief in an open and free society and affirms its intention to abide by all applicable sections of Title I, subchapter 1 of the Revised Statutes of the State of Maine which have to do with the public's right of access to the proceedings, actions and records of the School Committee.

Therefore, "Except as otherwise provided by statute or by section 405 (Executive Sessions), all public proceedings shall be open to the public, any person shall be permitted to attend any public proceedings and any record or minutes of such proceedings that is required by law shall be made promptly and shall be open to public inspection." Further, "Except as otherwise provided by statute, every person shall have a right to inspect and to copy any public record during the regular business hours of the" school system office; "provided that, whenever inspection cannot be accomplished without translation of mechanical or electronic data compilations into some other form, the person desiring inspection may be required to pay" the school system "in advance the cost of translation and both translation and inspection may be scheduled at such time as will not delay or inconvenience the regular activities of the agency or official having custody of the record sought and provided further that the cost of copying any public record to comply with this section shall be paid by the person requesting the copy." In addition, persons who wish information gathered, compiled or produced in such form as is not readily available from existing records, shall pay full costs of gathering, compiling or producing such information provided further that time is available to do such work and that it will not inconvenience regular activities of school system employees.

Persons desirous of any such information as described in the foregoing, except minutes of public meetings, shall be required to fill out a request form or forms provided in the school system office. Within ten days of such request, school system officials shall provide the information requested or reasons why it is denying a part or the whole request.

Quoted segments of the above policy are direct from the Maine Statutes.

Legal Reference: TITLE 1 MRSA SEC. 401 ET SEQ.

Cross Reference: GBJ - PERSONNEL RECORDS AND FILES

Adopted: 8-11-94