The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has filed a lawsuit against Flint Community Schools for failing to comply with Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act. The legal complaint comes after the school district ignored a Feb. 17 records request for more than 50 business days—well past the legal deadline. 

The request sought travel and business expense records for district administrators and staff for 2023 and 2024. Under Michigan law, public bodies must respond within five business days, or 15 if they request an extension. Flint Community Schools did neither. 

The Mackinac Center followed up in March and sent a demand letter after a vague acknowledgment from a district official, but the district still did not provide the requested documents. 

“Michigan taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent,” said Steve Delie, director of transparency and open government at the Mackinac Center. “Public officials don’t get to pick and choose which laws to follow.” 

The lawsuit was filed in Michigan’s 7th Judicial District Court. 

Posted: May 13, 2025
Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Brechner FOI Project, Brechner Freedom of Information Project, Government Transparency, open records laws, public records