Entire FCPS School Board Subpoenaed by Patton Boggs

[Anonymous]

http://redapplemom.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/subpoenas-issued-to-full-school-board-top-fcps-officials-breaking-news/

Subpoenas Issued to Full School Board & Top FCPS Officials – Breaking News

The entire Fairfax County Public School Board and top FCPS officials have been subpoenaed by the Washington, DC based law firm Patton Boggs.

The focus of the subpoena concerns alleged violations of the Open Meeting Law and alleged violations of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by Fairfax County Public School officials.

FCPS and Patton Boggs attorneys are appearing in Fairfax County court today to set a trial date. Under Virginia law, FOIA cases are required by statute to be heard in seven calendar days. The statute does not permit exceptions for weekends or holidays.

This case stems from last summer’s School Board vote to close Clifton elementary school – one of the county’s top performing elementary schools. School Board officials claimed renovations needed for the school were too costly and that it is cheaper in the long run to close the school. Several media outlets and the Fairfax Education Coalition called the School Board’s decision premature. Since the vote, FOIA’d documents and email communications between School Board members and FCPS officials have demonstrated serious flaws in the data used to close Clifton ES.

(more at link posted above)

[Anonymous]

Excellent! Thanks for posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://redapplemom.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/subpoenas-issued-to-full-school-board-top-fcps-officials-breaking-news/

Subpoenas Issued to Full School Board & Top FCPS Officials – Breaking News

The entire Fairfax County Public School Board and top FCPS officials have been subpoenaed by the Washington, DC based law firm Patton Boggs.

The focus of the subpoena concerns alleged violations of the Open Meeting Law and alleged violations of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by Fairfax County Public School officials.

FCPS and Patton Boggs attorneys are appearing in Fairfax County court today to set a trial date. Under Virginia law, FOIA cases are required by statute to be heard in seven calendar days. The statute does not permit exceptions for weekends or holidays.

This case stems from last summer’s School Board vote to close Clifton elementary school – one of the county’s top performing elementary schools. School Board officials claimed renovations needed for the school were too costly and that it is cheaper in the long run to close the school. Several media outlets and the Fairfax Education Coalition called the School Board’s decision premature. Since the vote, FOIA’d documents and email communications between School Board members and FCPS officials have demonstrated serious flaws in the data used to close Clifton ES.

(more at link posted above)

wow. we live in a litigious society

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

wow. we live in a litigious society

What would you propose the community do when it believes that public officials have broken the law? Where should we find corrective action?

It is always a frivolous lawsuit until it is *your* lawsuit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

wow. we live in a litigious society

What would you propose the community do when it believes that public officials have broken the law? Where should we find corrective action?

It is always a frivolous lawsuit until it is *your* lawsuit.

I don't get it. There's ongoing litigation. Why is it a big surprise that subpoenas were issued by the plaintiff's lawyers?

Will you issue a separate press release when requests for admission are served? Or when Ben Chew gets a new suit?

A decision by the judge might warrant a press release. A request for a deposition does not.

[Anonymous]

This is a wonderful step forward in terms of getting rid of our less than ethical school board members. I do not have a horse in this race, but have experienced dishonesty in the FCPS system. We need to weed out school board candidates with the "what's in it for me" mentality. Time to clean house.

[Anonymous]

Earmarks in the Federal govt are more straightforward. FYI there are Federal laws that address FCPS problem areas because it is ONE school district where each site is under something called common administrative control.

Boundaries, academic opportunities. One email i saw even had a board member traipsing into DC buying quantities of booze.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a wonderful step forward in terms of getting rid of our less than ethical school board members. I do not have a horse in this race, but have experienced dishonesty in the FCPS system. We need to weed out school board candidates with the "what's in it for me" mentality. Time to clean house.

That comes by replacing them at the ballot box this fall, not a discovery request in a lawsuit that may or may not succeed. The money being paid to Patton Boggs could fund a challenge to the likes of Kathy Smith.