California: Inside the Fight to Make Public School Misconduct Records Public

When a 15-year-old Vista High School freshman texted a school math teacher in 2012-13 that he reminded her of her father, the teacher responded, “Or maybe like a boyfriend.”

Three years later, school officials discovered the same teacher texting inappropriate messages to another student.

The teacher texted a student her decision to get the HPV vaccine was a good one since she will be sexually active soon, and in another message, he wrote, “I think you’re a lot like a lot of really pretty, mature and smart young ladies I’ve seen. And I know what’s ahead of you, which includes super hot older guys and mature intelligent friends.”

These are just some of the messages contained in school records that the teacher didn’t want the public to see. He sued Vista Unified School District in court earlier this year to keep the records secret following Voice of San Diego’s public records request for them last November. Read more…