Data request once again sheds light on what’s happening at K-M

A recent data request made by this newspaper is once again shedding light on what has been happening behind the scenes at the Kasson-Mantorville Schools.
About a month ago, this newspaper made a data request for school board members’ emails, along with emails for various teachers in the school district, for a period of time.
As part of the data request, we narrowed the scope to very particular key words, including DCI.
We had a reason to suspect the data request would give us some clues about discussions taking place behind the scenes. In fact, it did.
As reported in a front-page story, a board member invoked this newspaper’s name in an email to an attorney who works for the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA).
That matched up to one of the key words in the data request, which we viewed last week. (This newspaper has elected to inspect data in order to avoid the fees charged by the district for electronic copies.)
The board member, as reported in the story, explains that she knew about a third-party investigation into a now re-elected board member. She said at least two other people currently on the board knew. (This assumes the subject of the report was one.)
We find this disturbing. It’s one thing for people who may have been directly involved with the report to have known about it. However, it appears an incoming board member also knew about the investigation.
The question is, how many people in the community also know? Have there been other details released?
The email we obtained also outlines concerns raised about a now former board member. This person allegedly tried to influence a decision by saying if the board member who he allegedly spoke to didn’t vote a particular way, the superintendent would quit.
Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s not an uncommon practice for elected officials to “whip” votes. In fact, it’s why caucuses for Congress and other legislative bodies elect people to that role each year. It’s the same at the local level.
This newspaper is unsure why a board member went to the MSBA to discuss those concerns. The board member claims the actions described in the email were “fear-mongering.”
According to the email, the next day, the board member was planning to meet with the superintendent.
It is unclear why the board member was meeting with the superintendent. We don’t know what was discussed.
If this newspaper knew about the allegation that the superintendent might quit less than six months into his three-year contract, our only question would be whether that was true.
One way or another, on Jan. 6, Ihns told the board and public he was quitting at the end of the year. This newspaper has since asked Ihns if he had spoken to anyone about resigning prior to the Jan. 6 meeting.
We are still waiting for a response.
Since this newspaper obtained emails alleging an interaction between the superintendent and the board member, we have been asking Superintendent Ted Ihns how he thinks he’s going to be able to work with the board member in question.
Months later, we have received no response.
We have, however, received a concerning message from a school district employee. The employee, upset this newspaper submitted a request for their emails, said they don’t want the DCI to exist anymore.
Over in Kasson, a city council member subject to a data request pushed for the city to remove the DCI as its legal newspaper. Fortunately, the rest of the city council wasn’t on board. And, of course, such action is not legal.
The newspaper addressed those concerns last week.
School officials can rage all they want. City officials, too. But this newspaper will continue to make data requests and dig into issues that need to see the light of day.
What we know from one email—that board members and incoming board members knew about an investigation into one of their colleagues, and that there was speculation the superintendent would resign—is disturbing.
Unfortunately, it appears school officials are no longer willing to respond to questions about what’s happening. That’s fine. This newspaper will let their emails speak for themselves.