The FOIA is one of the cornerstones of a government of and for the people.  Information should be freely available to the people to ensure the integrity of the system.  However, integrity is the key concern here.  In researching budgets, funding, and our education system one can see clearly why the media might require access to teacher salary information.  One can see clearly why we must make that information available to the media for analysis. But what is unclear is why this information would need to be published.  After obtaining such information we should expect our local media to have the integrity to analyze this information, to perform research and hopefully reach some conclusion that can be shared with our community that will shine a light on our public institutions.
However, the decision to publish the raw data accomplishes none of this.  With no comparative analysis performed, one must question the integrity of Powhatan Today.  Are you simply to lazy to provide your readers with any meaningful analysis?  Does the Powhatan Today simply wish to offer the community a cheap thrill?  Talk of transparency and integrity accomplishes nothing other than to tarnish the meanings of such words after simply publishing salaries of educators.  Powhatan Today’s vane attempt to justify such lazy and pointless journalism is an embarrassment.  There is little wonder as to why traditional media revenues continue to decline.

I agree with Ms. Nelson’s comments. Intent is everything. Powhatan Today has published very private information without providing any analysis or reasoning.
If they are trying to suggest something about the quality or cost of local education then perhaps they would actually perform some analysis. Let’s take a look at Powhatan’s academic performance as compared to counties of like size or composition. Let’s take a look at actual hours worked by staff as opposed to the raw contract data.

Perhaps Powhatan Today could add a note mentioning that the salaries do not include certain activities such as chaperoning Prom or sponsoring clubs. The contracts do not pay for most tutoring that is done. Teachers were given online access to grades and a grading window that closes at midnight, because many of us are often up that late grading papers or preparing new lesson plans.

This is not a complaint. I love being a teacher and I do not mind the extra assignments that being a teacher often involves. I do them because I enjoy my work and I want to see the students succeed. I mention this because one cannot help but feel attacked when someone posts your personal information online without any justification.

Yes, Powhatan Today has every right to access and publish my salary, but could you offer the common decency of explaining why you have done so?

If Powhatan Today’s intent was to stir controversy and increase readership, then it works in the short term, but at the cost of their integrity.

Wish my name was not online right beside my salary makes me wonder how someone with bad intentions could use this info. That being said its funny to hear people complain about how much someone makes and how little work they do, glass houses and stones come to mind for me. Come on people we are all on the same team. Oh and no more purchases of the Pow Today for me in the near future.

Just because something is legal doesn’t make it right.  FOIA is there to keep things legit, not to give free reign to publish information at will.

In my journalism classes in college, we discussed ethics (and yes, there can be ethics in journalism).  One large part of deciding whether or not to print something depended on intent.  If we follow your personification of FOIA, and he was at this party revealing people’s salaries and emails, I would wonder why.  Was he doing it out of maliciousness?  Or was he doing it to prove someone’s underhandedness?  It makes a difference.

I wonder what the motive for this paper to print salaries.  Was there supposed to be a connection between the budget and what everyone makes?  Was there supposed to be an expose’ of mishandled funds?  Were you looking to embarrass people? 

Unfortunately, there was no analysis of the information you printed, so I’m not sure why this party was being thrown.  But I would politely ask FOIA to show some self-restraint and make sure his gossip was for a greater good.

Publishing the salary database and using names is very personal and private information. I just don’t understand what your point is in doing that. We already feel bad about making squat and you publish it so everyone knows. What was your purpose? You trying to cause trouble in the county? Can you explain yourself?

I think reading Nelson Batterson’s letter tells you why people fear FIOA.