Idaho State Board of Educations open meeting lawsuit continues [Video]

BOISE, Idaho — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press.

The drawn-out conflict between the state and University of Idaho and the State Board of Education, which acts as UI’s Board of Regents, over an effort to purchase the online University of Phoenix continued Thursday with a new court decision.

The Idaho Supreme Court has decided the district court erred in tossing out an open meetings challenge against the Idaho State Board of Education, brought by Attorney General Raúl Labrador over negotiations held in private related to the university’s effort to purchase the online school.

“Contrary to the Open Meetings Law’s preference for sunshine, the district court’s reading of the preliminary negotiation clause effectively cloaks all negotiations and actions taken prior to a final public vote in shadow by broadening the very exceptions that the legislature required be narrowly construed,” …