School Classroom (Source: Flickr)By MELINDA DESLATTE
Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana's education chief is refusing to provide records from the deliberations over how schools were chosen to participate in Gov. Bobby Jindal's new statewide voucher program, which is using tax dollars to send students to private and parochial schools.
The Department of Education isn't claiming an exemption in public records law in denying the request from The Associated Press.
Instead, the department is claiming "a deliberative process privilege" cited in two appeals court rulings that have nothing to do with education issues, but involve legal battles over what records should be available to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office.
Through a spokesman, Superintendent of Education John White said he'll release the documents in September, after voucher student assignments are final. Any release before that, White claims, could create confusion for parents.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and KPLC, a Raycom Media Station.
