Local Motion: Schooled in Secrecy

This week is Sunshine Week, the annual nationwide celebration of access to public information and the right to know. On Tuesday, March 15 at the Denver Press Club, the nonprofit Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition held a panel called Schooled in Secrecy, exploring the recent trend among some school boards in Colorado to disregard or evade Colorado Open Meetings Law by discussing public business, including the replacement of district superintendents, outside of public view. The host of the event was Jeremy Jojola from 9News. Panelists in person were attorney Kendra Carberry who represents local government in matters of sunshine law, and attorney Robert Marshall, plaintiff of a lawsuit alleging Douglas County violated open meetings law, deciding privately to fire their superintendent. Panelists via Zoom were Yesenia Robles, who covers Front Range school districts for Chalkbeat Colorado and Kala Parkinson, a reporter for the Cortez Journal. Find the CFOIC here.