Mike Tadych and Amanda Martin Quoted on Charter School Public Records

SMVT partners Mike Tadych and Amanda Martin were recently cited by the Port City Daily on charter school public records. The paper had requested salary information for certain employees of the Charter Day School. The school responded by refusing to produce the records, claiming they were not public.

Two attorneys for the N.C Press Association disagree, as does the department of the DPI that oversees charter schools in North Carolina.

Mike Tadych and Amanda Martin, media law attorneys with Stevens, Martin, Vaughn and Tadych in Raleigh, who represent the N.C. Press Association, said all charter school records are public records.

“Because the charter and the statute say the Public Records Law applies, the Public Records Law applies,” Tadych said. “As you know, unless there is a statutory exemption, then the Public Records Law applies.”

Tadych said charter schools could voluntarily consider their employees subject to either the state personnel act or the personnel act that governs employees of local board of education, both of which outline that personnel information that is public record. But even if they opted against that, all records–including personnel records–are public records.

“Unless you can point to a statutory exemption, then it’s all public record,” Tadych said.

The article has since been updated:

UPDATE: 11:30 a.m.

Charter Day School released salary information this morning pursuant to Port City Daily’s public records request.

You can read the entire article here.