WOODLAND PARK — In an interview with Woodland Park School District Superintendent Ken Witt on Wednesday, he told News5 to cut the cameras after a question about an email sent to middle school parents.
The interview was scheduled to discuss the district's plan to merge seventh and eighth graders from the middle school to the high school building. About 10 minutes into the interview, we asked Witt about an email sent by the Woodland Park Middle School Principal to middle school parents that day. A former district employee sent us a copy of the email.
In the email, the middle school principal tells parents an after-school academic program has to be canceled because the funds used to pay the teachers have run out.
When asked about the email, Witt told News5 to cut the cameras. We did not agree to the request and kept rolling. Witt goes on to say the email was an error and the principal sent an apology email a few hours later.
The apology email, which was provided to us by the district, said the program would continue as scheduled. The middle school principal said he did not have all of the relevant information and apologized to parents for "any confusion, distress, or inconvenience that caused."
During the interview, Mr. Witt said the district was not "going public" with the miscommunication shown in the email. According to the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), government entities, including school districts, must make all writings, books, papers, photographs, tape recordings, and emails open to the public. There are certain exceptions under the law, including information about school security plans and ongoing criminal investigations.
After we did not agree to Mr. Witt's request to speak off the record, he took his microphone off and got up from the interview. An off-the-record conversation has to be agreed upon by all parties before the conversation begins. Once off the record, nothing said during the conversation can be reported in any way.
Journalists also have the option to speak with someone "on background." This means information discussed can be reported, but the statements made cannot be attributed to that person. The agreement to speak on background also has to be agreed upon by all parties before the conversation begins.
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