School Board Responds to FOIA Request

By Averett Jones, Editor

The response to The Messenger’s Freedom of Information (FOIA) request from Charlotte County’s School Board members was revealing.

The School Board office promptly provided all requested information from the members’ official e-mails.

All members either responded or stated in their response that they did not use their personal e-mails for school business.  However, some of the responses came from personal e-mail accounts documenting the statements were not accurate.

These are clear violations of FOIA.  The Messenger also has screen shots of Face book pages documenting other FOIA responses were inaccurate.

The first violation of FOIA results in a minimum fine of $500.00 with subsequent violations resulting in a minimum fine of $2000.00 for each offence.

A larger concern was revealed in the Board members’ official e-mails.  Board Members Jay George and JonPaul Berkeley have not opened a single email in over six months on their official email accounts.

This means that any attempt to contact George or Berkeley via email was ignored. The messenger’s FOIA request was unread as well as dozens of communications from the board office and others.

Jay George responded with the following statement.  “I rely on personal contact either in person or by phone to conduct school business. I am old fashioned and like to talk to people if they have concerns. With personal contacts there are no miscommunications. My phone number is 434-390-4760.

“I have also been having computer problems with my email and passwords since June. I contacted IT regarding the issue.

“I don’t have internet in my home. All I have is cell-based service. In the past, three board members were provided with unlimited internet service at county expense but I did not receive this.

“We are here to educate kids first and nurture a teaching environment and to encourage our employees. “

Board member JonPaul Berkley was contacted via email and asked,

Jon,

I have been looking over the CCPS email accounts provided by the School Board office. Do you want to comment on why your school email account has not been accessed since July 27, 2017?

Thank You, 

Averett Jones

“Yes, I would. I haven’t had access to it since then. I have made multiple [contacts] each month to the board secretary and the superintendent to get the problem fixed. At the last board meeting I suggested that if it wasn’t fixed I would have my attorney contact the superintendent. It was taken care of yesterday. I now have access to it. I think this was done by someone so I wouldn’t have access.           

Thank You.                                                       

Jon Berkley

A related concern is Board Member Teresa Dunaway’s invitation-only Facebook account “for our Children.” This account serves five of seven board members but citizens have to be invited to join, leaving the majority of the county out.  Recently, several members who may have had connections with the Messenger were removed.  A total of 24 members have left or been removed from the group since our first article.

Another citizen shared a post by Randolph-Henry Junior Cole Pillow supporting the school superintendent and was promptly blocked by a school board member.  The school board should be available to all citizens equally.