Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The Pennsbury School District is appealing a state agency’s decision to make certain records public at the request of LevittownNow.com.
On Monday morning, attorney Alexander Glassman of Rudolph Clarke, the law firm that represents the district, filed their petition for the county court to review a Pennsylvania Office of Open Records decision from July that ordered the district to turn over documents related to an internal investigation and report related to problems in the administration and school board.
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In March, this news organization requested “all investigative reports/documents” related to a probe conducted by Dr. Joseph O’Brien and the Chester County Intermediate Unit. The district denied the request and it was appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records ruled in their decision that Pennsbury failed to meet the burden of proving the O’Brien report and related documents were exempt from being turned over.
In the district’s request for an appeal, Pennsbury makes the case that they should be able to keep the reports and related records shielded from the public because their contents related to employees are exempt under the Right to Know law.
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LevittownNow.com has reviewed a version of the report that is 11 pages and cost taxpayers $8,000. The copy was obtained through a source and verified. Further copies and additional related documents continue to be sought by this news organization, which has consulted legal counsel, as part of ongoing reporting on problems within the school district.
The school district requested the court reverse the decision and keep the records secret or hold a hearing on the matter and offered to privately let a county judge review the evidence.
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The Pennsbury School District is bracing as lawsuits are expected to be filed against it in the weeks or months relating to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaints by administrators following allegations of problems in the district and with Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula.
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- Complaints Filed Over Comments, Actions Of Pennsbury Superintendent, Documents & Sources State
