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Curtis Hier: Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week

October 15, 2008

I’d like you to meet Curtis Hier of Vermont, who is this week’s Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week.

Mr. Hier is a high school social studies teacher in the Fair Haven, Vermont school district.

Hier asked for e-mail correspondence from Gaye Symington, speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives and a current candidate for governor of Vermont. He asked from similar correspondence from other members of the state legislature.

He didn’t get what he was looking for, so he has filed a lawsuit.

Candidate Symington said, “”It is pretty clear this is politically motivated at the moment.”

See: Symington sued over e-mail.

Several state legislators who didn’t hand over the requested emails have expressed a sense of general aghastness at the idea that an e-mail could possibly, ever, be considered a public record. It is an unheard of concept, shocking to their sensibilities. So is the idea that someone could ask for copies of e-mails for (OMG! OMG!) political reasons.

Mr. Hier, carry on. If you read this post, send me an email so we can send you a record of your induction into the highly prestigious ranks of the STOTWs.