Teri Botticelli Card v. Lynnfield, Town of - Public Schools (SPR 20213159)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records December 15, 2021 SPR21/3159 Thomas Geary Records Access Officer Lynnfield Public Schools 55 Summer Street Lynnfield, MA 01940 Dear Mr. Geary: I have received the petition of Teri Botticelli Card appealing the response of the Lynnfield Public Schools (School) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On November 12, 2021, Ms. Card requested various communications relating to her child. The School responded on November 29, 2021, denying her request. Unsatisfied with the School’s response, Ms. Card appealed, and this case was opened as a result. Status of Requestor In her appeal petition, Ms. Card reiterates that she is seeking records of her own child. Please note that the reason for which a requestor seeks access to or a copy of a public record does not afford any greater right of access to the requested information than other persons in the general public. The Public Records Law does not distinguish between requestors. Access to a record pursuant to the Public Records Law rests on the content of the record and not the circumstances of the requestor. See Bougas v. Chief of Police of Lexington, 371 Mass. 59, 64 (1976). Accordingly, Ms. Card’s status will play no role in a determination as to whether the records should be disclosed or redacted under the Public Records Law. The School’s December 9th Response Subsequent to the opening of this appeal, I learned that the School provided a supplemental response by email to Ms. Card and this office on December 9, 2021. As this appeal was opened based on the School’s November 29th response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre • pre@sec.state.ma.us

Thomas Geary SPR21/3159 Page 2 December 15, 2021 Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Teri Botticelli Card