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Public commenter tells Owatonna board data requests cost hundreds of thousands, criticizes history instruction
Summary
At public forum, Francie Hall told the Owatonna School Board she had read press reports about costly data requests (she estimated $300,000–$500,000) and said some board members did not want certain history taught; the board did not provide a verification or substantive response at the meeting.
Francie Hall used the board’s public-comment period to raise concerns over district spending and curriculum.
"I have read the People's Press article about the data requests and the money that it it cost us, which was a lot of money, and it it was between, what, 300,000 and 500,000?" Hall told the board. She said she was "absolutely just baffled" that money was spent and added that, in her view, "there were people on the school board who do not want to teach history," referencing topics such as the treatment of Native Americans and the Holocaust.
The board thanked Hall for her comments but the meeting record does not show staff or board members providing figures to confirm or refute the dollar-range she cited. No administration response or follow-up action on the specific cost allegation was recorded in the meeting minutes.
Context and next steps Hall referred to press coverage; the district’s public-records office or business office would be the appropriate source to confirm any costs associated with specific data requests. The board did not schedule a follow-up item on the agenda; any factual verification or staff report would need to be requested separately and returned to the board for formal review.
Status of claim: unresolved pending verification with district fiscal or public-records staff.
