Ballard Spahr Media Lawyers Represent Watchdog Group in Teacher Tip Line FOIA Case

Attorneys from Ballard Spahr’s Media and Entertainment Law Group have filed suit on behalf of American Oversight—a nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog organization—seeking release of records on a government email “tip line” for parents to report school officials for allegedly teaching subjects banned by a recent gubernatorial executive order.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order bans teaching of “inherently divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory,” within the Commonwealth. Shortly after issuing the order earlier this year, Gov. Youngkin announced the launch of the email tip line (helpeducation@governor.virginia.gov) for parents to report any school officials teaching banned topics.

Gov. Youngkin and the Commonwealth “have either withheld or denied the existence of a significant number of records” about the tip line, which American Oversight has been seeking under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, according to the lawsuit, filed in Arlington County Circuit Court.

American Oversight is represented in the case by Ballard Spahr attorneys Chad R. Bowman, Alia L. Smith, and Jacob M. Schriner-Briggs.

For more details about the case, read American Oversight’s press release.

For media inquiries, please contact Bill Shralow at 215.864.8195.