Opinion ID: 1248766
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Hoke's May 30, 1997 statements to KARE 11 television

Text: Hoke's statements to KARE 11 also were not presented as part of respondent's summary judgment motion but were introduced during the trial. Appellant objected to the introduction of the news video transcripts as well as the actual video of the news reports both before trial and during the trial, arguing that they were irrelevant because they had nothing to do with the specific data practices issues before the court. The district court noted these objections but ruled that the news video would be allowed to paint a picture for the jury of what happened so that the jury could sort out what damages were attributable to appellant's actions. At the close of evidence, the district court concluded that two statements made during Hoke's interview violated the MGDPA. The court of appeals held that the first statement about respondent not teaching and her kids not learning violated the MGDPA but that only a portion of the second statement about Bess observing respondent, suspending respondent, and eventually teaching respondent's class himself violated the MGDPA. Navarre, 633 N.W.2d at 52-53. As with Hoke's May 30, 1997 press release, appellant offers no argument as to why the statements made to KARE 11 did not violate the MGDPA. Rather, appellant's only argument is that this issue was irrelevant because it was not part of the summary judgment motion. Respondent again points out that it did not seek summary judgment for the statements Hoke made to KARE 11 because appellant had disputed it made any disclosures to the media. Hoke's first statement was the allegations I've heard were that kids weren't learning. He then answered a question indicating that he believed respondent was not teaching. The court of appeals held that these statements were derived from Bess's April 18 letter or Hoke's May 30 press release and constituted government data. Navarre, 633 N.W.2d at 52. We agree and hold that this statement violated the MGDPA by disclosing more than the existence and status of any complaints against respondent by commenting on the specific facts surrounding the complaints and disclosing Hoke's own conclusion about the validity of the complaints before a final disposition of a disciplinary action. Hoke's second statement was [Bess] would visit with the teacher. He would observe the teacher, and then eventually he started into the classroom to teach for himself. So as he got more and more evidence he was also concerned. By us admitting there was something wrong by suspending the teacher. The court of appeals held that the third sentence of this statement again violated the MGDPA by disclosing that a determination had been made that there was something wrong and that the teacher had been suspended before there had been a final disposition of a disciplinary action. We agree and affirm the court of appeals that the making of this statement violated the MGDPA. However, the court of appeals found that the first two sentences of Hoke's second statement about visits to respondent's classroom and the resulting increased concerns about respondent's teaching were not based on a physically recorded document or data created or maintained in any physical form. As such, the court of appeals held that these statements did not constitute government data and its release did not violate the MGDPA. Navarre, 633 N.W.2d at 52-53. While there appears to be no evidence in the record indicating that these two sentences were derived from recorded data, they do appear to arise directly from the investigation of the complaint or charges. Accordingly, we reverse the court of appeals and hold that these two statements are private personnel data prematurely released before final disposition and are in violation of the MGDPA.