MHPS Superintendent responds to FOIA claims

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A recent story from the Mountain Home Observer documented text messages between Mountain Home Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jake Long and school board members discussing school business which is a violation of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The act was passed in 1967 to “ensure an open government by elevating transparency so that citizens may be fully informed of the working of their government and the actions of their public officials” according to the FOIA handbook.

Long says he has texted with board members for a number of years, but some recent messages were apparently in violation of FOIA.

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The Mountain Home superintendent says those means include training for himself and the board about the Freedom of Information Act.

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Long says they did not believe the texts were in violation of FOIA.

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The Mountain Home Observer shows some of the texts which discussed how much of an increase to ask voters for in the upcoming election and discussion of funding for teacher salaries to meet the requirements of the LEARNS Act.

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