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JeffCo schools not as transparent with open records as law requires

Open records requests to the Jefferson County School district have been met with obfuscating “interpretations,” time delays that appear to be outside of the legal limits allowed by the law, and with potentially illegal hourly charges for legal review of the documents requested.

Thompson school board shoots down union contract proposal

At issue for Kerrigan, Carlson, and Rice was the belief that the district’s negotiating team had not followed the direction the board had set. Based on consensus guidance given at the April 1 meeting, a majority of the board members wanted to move ahead with negotiation on moving many items currently in the contract into a handbook, piloting a pay-for-performance model in 2016-17, and looking into having teachers share a part of the rising costs of retirement and insurance benefits.

Thompson conservative majority needs police escorts out of meeting

“It was not more aggressive at this meeting,” Board Vice President Bryce Carlson said. “But just given the nature of where we are in negotiations, tensions are high. This was the first time I was escorted. I certainly would hope that kind of thing is not necessary.”

JeffCo teachers union sues school board

It is not known when the suit will be heard. But the filing appears to be the latest move by the JCEA to disrupt the district and the Board of Education.

School districts across state finding ways to skirt the intent of Proposition 104

Steve Zansberg, attorney and president of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, says the law is ambiguous and subject to an interpretation that prohibits these types of meetings.

“Prop 104 defines a local public body as any group that meets with representatives of the teachers union to discuss labor contract, regardless of how small a group attend the meeting,” Zansberg said. “Under (this) interpretation, there can be no meeting of two members of the school board or its administration with union representatives that is not conducted in the open.”

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