\nPENNSYLVANIA – A local newspaper may never find out whether\na school district’s teacher application packets are open records.\n
In a one-line statement, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed\nCypress Media v. Hazleton Area School District in February.\n
Luzerne County’s Times Leader had filed a lawsuit asking\nthat the Hazleton Area School District release teacher application\npackets. The newspaper appealed to the state supreme court after\nthe commonwealth court ruled in March 1998 that the district did\nnot have to hand over the records.
The supreme court did not give a reason for the dismissal,\nwhich cannot be appealed. The dismissal reverses the court’s decision\nto hear the case, said Edward Rogers, attorney for Times Leader\nreporter Jennifer Learn.
“Because no reasons were given, it is difficult, if not\nimpossible, to understand the rationale of this decision,”\nRogers said.\n