Fillmore Unified School District

Recently the non profit organization Californians Aware performed a “statewide public information audit” of several school districts in California. They were analyzing how those districts responded to requests for public information. In November 2010 Fillmore Unified School District was sent an email requesting publicly available information. FUSD received not only an “F” in this audit, but also a zero score for its complete lack of response to the written request.

When asked to comment on the “F” grade FUSD Superintendent Jeff Sweeney indicated that he was contacted by a reporter for the Ventura County Star in late February to let him know that she was writing about the audit (“School District Public Access Rating a mixed bag” Cheri Carlson, Feb. 24 2011). “I was surprised to hear that we were given an “F” by the Californians Aware organization. I recounted our process, one that we had always used, and thought we had met the measure of our responsibility.” FUSD has required anyone requesting information to fill out a simple form in order for the District to process that request. District staff reviewed their emails and located the one from CalAware in November 2010. The emails indicate that staff followed the District policy of asking the requestor to complete the Districts form in order to receive information. Sweeney reports “We followed our normal process and sent the individual a request for public records form on December 13, 2009. We asked the individual to complete the form so that we could comply with the request. When we did not hear back from the individual, we assumed that she did not wish for the requested information.”

Sweeney goes on to explain “As a follow up, I contacted our attorney to verify that we had followed proper protocol. She told me we had not. She told me that the requestor’s email sufficed for a written request. As a result, I have informed all of my staff that from this point forward, we are to honor email requests for public records.”