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LANSING — Political guide and former long-time Democratic Ingham County Commissioner Mark Grebner is suing Lansing Neighborhood Faculty over its denial of an inventory of names and different info for college students on the college.
The 2-count lawsuit, filed by Grebner’s legal professional, East Lansing Mayor George Brookover, was filed Aug. 8 within the Michigan Court docket of Claims. Lansing Neighborhood Faculty and its Board of Trustees are named as defendants.
Grebner filed a public data request on Could 10 for “listing info for all current college students,” and stated he was searching for the data to “encourage pupil political involvement, together with voter registration and voting, candidate and challenge communications, volunteer recruitment, and associated analysis,” in accordance with the grievance.
Particularly, he sought the names, faculty e mail addresses and dates of attendance for “all current college students, all college students admitted to review throughout 2024, and all college students who had been enrolled sooner or later throughout 2024.”
Marilyn Twine, a spokesperson for LCC, didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Michigan’s FOIA legislation requires a response from a public establishment inside 5 days, both granting the request, extending the time to assemble supplies by 10 days, or denying the request. In his lawsuit, Grebner stated he did not hear from the school inside the time restrict, and on July 3 he adopted up with LCC.
Additionally on July 3, J.R. Beauboeuf, the director of threat administration and authorized providers at LCC, denied Grebner’s request. He claimed the data requested violated the Household Academic Rights and Privateness Act, or FERPA, in accordance with the lawsuit.
Within the lawsuit, Grebner and Brookover argue the data sought was not exempt from disclosure and the school’s failure to provide the objects are a violation of FOIA legislation.
Grebner, who’s an legal professional himself, stated he’s filed many FOIA lawsuits in opposition to public establishments through the years.
On this case, the data he is searching for is what the school determines to be listing info, which he stated would have been printed out in directories prior to now. He stated he has been in a position to get this info from different colleges throughout the state, with various levels of pushback from the colleges.
Grebner is searching for the data and asking a decide to levy a civil high-quality of $1,000 in addition to different damages.
Grebner based a political consulting agency, Sensible Political Information & Discussion board Methods, greater than 50 years in the past. He finally grew the small voter information agency right into a full-service political consulting operation, in accordance with the corporate’s web site.
He served for a few years as an Democratic Ingham County commissioner.
Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com. Comply with her on X @sarahmatwood.
This text initially appeared on Lansing State Journal: Political consultant Mark Grebner sues Lansing Community College over student data
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