Arizona attorney general sues Scottsdale school district and board member Greenburg

Alma L. Figueroa
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich

Arizona Attorney Normal Mark Brnovich filed a lawsuit in opposition to the Scottsdale Unified School District and board member Jann-Michael Greenburg, accusing them of violating Arizona’s Open up Assembly Regulation final summertime.

Brnovich contends the governing board, via Greenburg, who was board president at the time, broke point out legislation on Aug. 17 when it issued content material-dependent limitations on public comment, allowing men and women to only speak about 1 of the agenda objects.

Board users also violated the legislation when they slice off speakers who attempted to give input on any other subject, like a proposed mask mandate that was also on the agenda, according to the attorney general’s complaint.

The grievance also says board associates had been in violation of the state’s Open Assembly Law on Aug. 23 when they limited in-man or woman entry in the boardroom when COVID-19 mitigation techniques ended up a person of the agenda goods. The 39 persons who tackled the board that night had to hold out exterior and enter the boardroom just one at a time.

Greenburg informed The Arizona Republic at the time that the conclusion to restrict entry arrived at the assistance of law enforcement amid heightened tensions around facial area coverings.

The lawyer general also suggests Greenburg broke the regulation when he interrupted guardian Amanda Wray when she talked about a neo-Nazi propaganda comic e-book staying distributed at a university campus. When Wray accused a district personnel of distributing the material, Greenburg mentioned that wasn’t real.

Wray “correctly spelled out to Greenburg that he is not permitted to interrupt community comments,” in accordance to the grievance.

The moment Wray finished her comments, Greenburg explained he wanted to make distinct that no district personnel dispersed the material. At the time he was accomplished with his assertion, he was caught on the microphone whispering to his colleagues, “Jesus f—— Christ, these persons.” He apologized following dad and mom told him they had listened to him.

“I did cuss on the mic and I’m pretty sorry about that. I apologize to our group, I apologize to my fellow board customers, to staff members and mothers and fathers seeing. These points take place,” he stated. “I have to confess it was carried out out of irritation.”

Greenburg’s father, Mark Greenburg, is suing Wray for defamation for comments she made about a leaked Google Drive folder that contained social media posts and other comprehensive information on mom and dad. Wray, in convert, submitted a lawsuit with other dad and mom previous thirty day period against the district and Mark Greenburg about the Google Travel.

District’s response

A few complaints have been submitted with the Legal professional General’s Business office after these two meetings.

After acquiring recognize of the problems in November, the district despatched a response to the lawyer general in December, according to SUSD spokesperson Kristine Harrington, who also explained the district hadn’t acquired any supplemental information and facts about it right until it realized about the lawsuit.

Harrington mentioned the district doesn’t comment on pending litigation but maintains it complied with the Open up Meeting Law.

Attorney Jennifer MacLennan wrote SUSD’s response, indicating it was the district’s situation that state regulation authorized SUSD to restrict comments, citing a 1999 lawyer standard opinion. Brnovich argues the district’s situation ignores that at the time the viewpoint was issued, the condition Open up Meeting Regulation was silent on regardless of whether a public physique could enable community remark.

MacLennan also wrote in the reaction that Wray had been permitted to complete her remarks and concluded them three seconds prior to her time was up. She also argued that board associates are permitted to address criticism and that Greenburg did not break the regulation when he corrected Wray.

Masks, curriculum, ‘communism’: Scottsdale district, board confront continued turmoil

The Arizona Republic attained out to Jann-Michael Greenburg for remark but did not hear back.

Brnovich is inquiring that a judge issue an buy that:

  • Prohibits the district from masking any of Greenburg’s legal service fees.

  • Declares SUSD and Greenburg violated state Open up Conference Law and enters a judgment requiring them to comply with the law.

  • Imposes a civil penalty on Greenburg to be paid to the district in the optimum total allowed under the regulation.

  • Awards all other aid underneath the Open up Meeting Regulation, like ordering ideal actions to avert violations or taking away Greenburg from office.

  • Awards the Legal professional General’s Office his attorneys’ fees and costs.

Jann-Michael Greenburg’s time period is up in January. He presently has introduced he is not running for reelection.

Brnovich, who has served as attorney common considering the fact that 2015, is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Greenburg, SUSD on the sizzling seat all over again

This isn’t the very first time the Greenburgs or the Scottsdale school district have been the subject of controversy in latest months.

A lively crowd of parents and students stands with signs calling for the resignation of Scottsdale Unified School District board member Jann-Michael Greenburg during a rally outside Coronado High School in Scottsdale on Nov. 30, 2021.

A energetic crowd of parents and learners stands with indications calling for the resignation of Scottsdale Unified School District board member Jann-Michael Greenburg for the duration of a rally exterior Coronado Superior University in Scottsdale on Nov. 30, 2021.

In November, numerous mom and dad and some of Jann-Michael Greenburg’s colleagues on the board known as for his resignation immediately after news of his father’s data files made up of information and facts on mothers and fathers who experienced been critical of the district arrived out.

The governing board will not have the power to oust Jann-Michael Greenburg from the board, but members did remove him as president of the board.

At the same time, Superintendent Scott Menzel introduced a district investigation into the data files to see if any district methods were being made use of to make or preserve the information. In February, the district launched the conclusions of the investigation, which concluded no faculty formal made use of district computers in link with the travel.

The Scottsdale Police Department also investigated the data files and interviewed numerous moms and dads, such as Wray, and concluded that no prison conduct beneath its jurisdiction had been dedicated.

Mark Greenburg, in his lawsuit in opposition to Wray, accused her of defaming him and invading his privateness by sharing a duplicate of his individual Google Drive folder.

Wray, on the other hand, is accusing Mark Greenburg of defamation for collecting information on a personal bankruptcy for another person with a similar name but who is not her. Her lawsuit argues that Mark Greenburg shared that file with his son and two other individuals and by wrongfully associating the personal bankruptcy with her could harm her career as a money adviser.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 480-267-4703. Abide by her on Twitter @renataclo

Aid local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com currently.

This short article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona legal professional basic sues Scottsdale school district, board member

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