The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from a Crawford County school district in its multiyear fight against releasing emails from board members who used their private accounts to discuss government business. The case centers on the USA TODAY Network’s public records request for messages between Penncrest School District leaders and a religious rights law firm that has sought to propagate conservative school policies on transgender students and library books.

Penncrest has fought against turning over emails sent by board members from their personal accounts, even if the communication related to these potential policies. The Court’s refusal to hear the case lets stand a panel of Commonwealth Court judges in May 2025 that sided with the USA TODAY Network by finding that these emails are not exempt from disclosure.

Source: USA TODAY