Journalist tells board district denied in-person public-records request and seeks index resolution

A journalist who identified himself as Steve McSteven addressed the Clover Park School District board on Feb. 10, saying he had attempted multiple in-person and oral public-records requests and had not received a written confirmation from the district as required by the procedures he cited.

McSteven said he filed in-person requests on multiple occasions and that staff at the district refused to assist with an oral public-records request. He referenced district Procedure 4040 and asked to inspect the resolution the district uses to exempt itself from maintaining a public records index that he said is cited in policy 4040.

"When is the district going to start complying with state law, its own policies, and stop abusing children at this school district as well as journalist press liberties?" McSteven asked the board during public comment. He also asked, "I would like to see that index resolution tonight, by the way."

McSteven told the board he had previously visited the district on May 1, 2024, and Jan. 29, 2025, and said employees he encountered were unhelpful when he sought to make records requests. He referenced a prior news story and concerned parents who reported problems with the district's public records process.

The board did not respond during public comment. The transcript does not show staff producing the requested resolution during the meeting. Policy references and next steps for staff to provide the requested records were not recorded on the public record in the meeting transcript.

Authorities and policy references mentioned by the speaker include Procedure 4040 and the district's public records policy. The speaker indicated potential civil fines if the district does not respond within statutory timeframes, but the board did not provide a staff response on the record during the meeting.