The Maine Republican Party has followed through with an unusual public records request to Portland’s three high schools.
The GOP’s Freedom of Access request covers any email, texts or written correspondence between central office staff and members of the city council, the school board, the Legislature and certain individuals that concern several Casco Bay High School students who were harassed while waiting for a bus on Jan. 27 as well as the schools’ response to the incident.
In addition, any communications that reference President Donald Trump and his executive orders, the Maine Republican Party, protests or the Maine Peoples Alliance for a one-week period in January are also included in the request.
The party’s executive director, Jason Savage, says he wants to ensure that taxpayer resources are not being used for political purposes.
“Our concern, related to the FOAA that we filed, was to know what is going on in the communications between the administration and political entities and politicians that may be trying to force an agenda, a political agenda on students,” he says.
The Maine GOP has criticized the Portland superintendent of schools for politicizing the bus stop incident, which police characterized as a hate crime, and for allowing students to use class time to organize an after-school rally.
Savage says he’s been advised that there are about 6,000 public records that meet the GOP’s criteria. It will cost the party about $700 to process the request, which is expected to take several weeks to compile.
Savage says the Maine GOP recognizes the free speech rights of public employees, but he says there’s a limit.
“When they’re using public resources to do their job, they should do their job and when the day ends and they’re back as a private citizen they should exercise those free speech rights robustly,” he says.
On Tuesday night, the Portland Board of Public Education will hold a public hearing on three proposed board resolutions. including one that affirms the free speech rights of district employees.
