Members of the Gloucester School Board appeared in Gloucester General District Court last Wednesday, April 19, for a hearing related to its denial of a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request by petitioner Kaitlyn Dooley.

Dooley emailed her request to Clerk of the School Board and FOIA Officer Carol Dehoux on March 26. In her email to Dehoux, Dooley stated, “I request a copy of all non-VFOIA exempt (publically [sic] accessible records) audio recording(s), or portions thereof, of the December 14, 2021 closed meeting of the Gloucester County School Board. I also request a copy of all non-VFOIA exempt (publically [sic] accessible records) documents furnished or discussed during the December 14, 2021 closed meeting of the Gloucester County School Board.”

Dehoux responded to Dooley March 31, and stated, “The school division is in receipt of your request for the audio recording of the closed session of December 14, 2021. Please be advised that because the audio was recorded during...