Is a teacher's home address and phone number part of the public record?

From John Curry, November 15, 2009
Gee...didn't we have this issue pop up when Jim Stoll ran for STRS board? Well...it looks as if we may get some more enlightenment on this issue and sooner rather than later. Check out this PD article.
John
The education department actually got two recent requests for teacher contact information, one from the Republicans and the other from a Columbus insurance agent who said she wanted to provide teachers with material for classroom instruction.
Before she withdrew her request, the department asked the Ohio attorney general's office for an opinion and was told the information would be a public record, said Scott Blake, education department spokesman.
"We will follow the court's directions," he said.

Ohio Education Association blocks Ohio Republican Party request for teacher contact information

By Edith Starzyk, The Plain Dealer
November 14, 2009

COLUMBUS -- A union representing 130,000 Ohio teachers convinced a Columbus judge to hold up release of teachers' home addresses and phone numbers to the Ohio Republican Party.

The Ohio Education Association was granted a temporary restraining order by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Laurel Beatty late Friday afternoon.

Judge Daniel Hogan is slated to hear arguments in the case, with OEA contending the information is not a public record under Ohio law.

"We agree the public has a right to know about teachers' licensure status, but protection of their personal information is of utmost importance to us," said OEA spokeswoman Michele Prater. She said the association had heard from members concerned about how the information would be used.

The GOP's public records request asked the Ohio Department of Education for "all contact information" for teachers, principals and school support staff licensed by the state. That would include the home mailing address, home phone number and e-mail address of educators in public and private schools.

Kevin DeWine, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, said in a statement that the information would be used to communicate with teachers and let them know where Republican candidates stand on education issues.

Charging the OEA "often acts as a political arm of the Democratic Party," DeWine said that "we're no longer going to allow the leadership of the OEA to spread lies and attacks without an appropriate response."

DeWine also said the party has asked for similar information from other departments to help it reach "veterans, farmers, fishers, hunters, and dozens of other groups."

The education department actually got two recent requests for teacher contact information, one from the Republicans and the other from a Columbus insurance agent who said she wanted to provide teachers with material for classroom instruction.

Before she withdrew her request, the department asked the Ohio attorney general's office for an opinion and was told the information would be a public record, said Scott Blake, education department spokesman.

"We will follow the court's directions," he said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: estarzyk@plaind.com, 216-999-4881
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/ohio_education_association_blo.html