Ark. publisher wins open-government battle with school board over secret meeting with superintendent candidate

Challenging officials for breaking open-government laws "can involve determination and courage on the part of a community journalist. But, in the end, that is indeed a major responsibility at times for a committed local publisher," says the latest Arkansas Press Association Publisher Weekly.

Tamara Johnson (APA photo)

APA reports on the history of Tamara Johnson, editor and publisher of the daily Times-Herald in Forrest City, who filed a complaint last September with the Palestine Police Department "against the Palestine-Wheatley School Board for holding a secret meeting to interview a candidate for the position of interim superintendent at the St. Francis County school." The local prosecutor refused the case, and local judges recused themselves, but the city attorney of Forrest City, the county seat, agreed to prosecute before a retired circuit judge. After months of negotiation, the sides agreed that board President Derrick Boileau would plead "no contest," get six months’ probation and undergo mandatory training from the Arkansas School Boards Association, along with the other six board members.

"Johnson said the secret meeting occurred after several problems the newspaper had with the board concerning its methods of operation," APA reports. "This involved such actions as creating confusion on meeting dates and agenda items. 'I told them this has got to stop,' Johnson said. 'I originally thought we had a good relationship with the president and the board. What I really wanted all along was for them to take some training on the Freedom of Information Act.'"

Palestine in St. Francis County, Arkansas
(Wikipedia map)

"The board president failed to contact the newspaper concerning the meeting with the superintendent prospect and held the session across the street from the school in a shop owned by one of the board members," APA reports. "The newspaper obtained a photo of vehicles of board members parked in front of the shop during the meeting. . . . Johnson was disappointed with the actions of the school board in light of what she considers a solid level of trust developed with readers and institutions in the St. Francis County area during her almost 33 years at the Times-Herald. . . . She has been married 31 years to Rob Johnson, who is manager of the local radio station."