The Eugene 4J School District is suing the Register-Guard newspaper to avoid releasing emails about the superintendent.
Last month, the Lane County District Attorney ordered the school district to release emails that discuss 4J Superintendent Shelly Berman. Berman resigned his position but is still in the job through this school year. Last spring, after Berman announced his resignation, the school board declined to give him an evaluation.
Wendy Baker is General Legal Council for The Register Guard.
Baker: "We take our job as a public watchdog very seriously. And in this instance, you have a superintendent and he's not been evaluated and he is allowed to terminate his position and yet remain employed for the next year. That's a suspicious circumstance that requires some explanation."
In filing the lawsuit the district says any public benefit of releasing the information is outweighed by the need for school board members and administration to have "no holds barred communication". The district did not respond to calls from KLCC Friday.
