LAKEVILLE — A representative from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees told the Freetown Lakeville school committee that all confidential information must be redacted from material related to a superintendent’s evaluation. 

Executive Director of Massachusetts of Association of School Committees Glenn Koocher also said School Committee Member Crystal Ng should have been notified before being publicly censured for emailing material related to Superintendent Alan Strauss’ evaluation that contained confidential information about a student.

The committee asked Koocher to lead a training session on Wednesday, Oct. 9  to review the guidelines for conducting a superintendent’s evaluation and the state’s open meeting law guide. The committee made this request after issues arose related to questions about information included as part of the superintendent’s evaluation. 

Koocher stated during the training session that “every document related to the superintendent’s evaluation is a public document.”

Committee Member Will Sienkewicz noted during the session that sometimes evidence that the superintendent provides as part of his or her evaluation contains confidential information. 

Koocher said that any confidential pieces of information “should be redacted.” 

Ng’s argument for sending a member of the public that information, which she said she did not know contained private information about a student, was because the superintendent’s evaluation is a public document, she said. 

Committee member Carolina Hernandez questioned if the sensitive information should be omitted before the materials are even sent out to the school committee. 

Koocher noted in response that “the superintendent cannot discuss with the school committee any information about a child.” 

When discussing the state’s Open Meeting Law guidelines, Ng took issue with the fact that she was not notified prior to being publicly censured, she said. 

Koocher said that because school committee members are “municipal employees,” state law requires they should be notified 48 hours prior to a meeting in which any complaints against them will be discussed.

A 48-hour notice should be given whether the charge is brought up in executive or open session, he said. 

Koocher added however that he cannot comment on the particulars of the situation since he was not present when the vote was taken.