FOI Request Explained

To the Editor:

I have asked the Board of Education and school administration for FOIA (Freedom Of Information Act) requests with fees waived due to the “current public interest in the material requested,” because “the information will contribute to an understanding of those activities and operations” in our Board of Education and school administration and educational hearings. The information will show “why the public in general would be interested, and why the disclosure would be significant.”

I am seeking to “identify specific operations or activities of government to which the request relates” to determine if impartiality was achieved regarding hearings of civil rights of students and children; whether or not taxpayer funds were misappropriated; whether those in authority abided by their contracts, school district policy and DMV law, and if not, whether children and drivers were put at risk, and whether or not they still may be.

As found under the FOIA regulations (www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/foia/guide.html), Fee Waivers:

“Under the FOIA it is possible to have all fees, including copying, waived by the agency if the material requested ‘is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.’ If your request fits this statutory criterion, you should make your case for a fee waiver in your request letter as strongly as possible. Be sure to describe the scholarly, historical, or current public interest in the material requested, identify specific operations or activities of government to which the request relates, why the information will contribute to an understanding of those activities and operations, why the public in general would be interested, and why the disclosure would be significant.”

If found to be the case, I am calling for the immediate termination of those responsible for violating their contracts which call for the abidance of school district policy, and the abidance of DMV laws. The information may also determine whether or not any alleged illegal activity, such as: alleged nonfeasance, alleged malfeasance, alleged misappropriation of taxpayer funds occurred, and to what degree. I am also requesting the immediate return of safer school bus turns in cul de sacs (as we had last year, as designated by the superintendent). Also, for the discrimination of those students living on cul de sacs to come to an end. Cul de sacs are places where legal and safe turns can minimize or completely alleviate the school buses backing up. School buses backing up is illegal, according to DMV law and Newtown School Policy, which abides by DMV law.

The BOE should know that by allowing the illegal backing of school buses, and the avoidance of safe, legal cul de sac turns, [it] can be held personally liable for any and all harm that may come to the children, or others, that may be harmed because of this illegal activity, and any discrimination that students may charge against them for such activity.

Thank you,

Susan McGuinness Getzinger

31 Little Brook Lane, Newtown                            December 22, 2010