Opinion ID: 1248766
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Palin's July 3, 1997 letter to Monsour

Text: This letter sent to Pioneer Press reporter Teresa Monsour by appellant's human resources manager was the second violation the district court found to exist on respondent's summary judgment motion. Specifically, the district court found that Palin's statement that appellant had received complaints from parents and students alleging concerns involving Ms. Navarre's classroom management and instructional methods was a violation of the MGDPA. Respondent argues that this statement disclosed more than the existence and status of complaints. The court of appeals agreed. Navarre, 633 N.W.2d at 53. The first portion of Palin's statement disclosed that appellant had received complaints from parents and students. This information was public data as defined under Minn.Stat. § 13.43, subd. 2(a)(4), because it simply disclosed the existence of complaints and the identity of the complainants in a general manner. See Demers, 468 N.W.2d 71, 73 (Minn.1991) (stating personnel data are data that identify the employee who is the subject of the data). However, Palin's statement that the complaints involved Ms. Navarre's classroom management and instructional methods goes beyond the scope of the public data exception for existence and status, by describing the type of complaint. Therefore, we affirm the court of appeals.