Weston board counsel trains members on FOIA, FERPA and limits on commenting about personnel

Attorney Jessica Richmond Smith told the Weston Board of Education at a Dec. 15 workshop that board members must be careful when responding to public complaints and that many personnel and student matters cannot be discussed in open session.

Smith, who led the training for the Weston Board of Education and the superintendent, said the board’s core duties include hiring the superintendent and overseeing budgets but that day‑to‑day management is the superintendent’s role. "You can't say anything," Smith said of public commentary on active personnel investigations, citing both due‑process and defamation risks.

Smith framed the legal guidance around state and federal rules: Connecticut education law (primarily Title 10 of the Connecticut General Statutes) and the Teacher Tenure Act (section 10‑151) govern termination processes for certified staff, while FERPA protects student records and imposes confidentiality limits. She said boards must…