A poorly reasoned opinion of the Ohio Supreme Court that turns on the Court's strained interpretation of the Ohio Student Privacy Act.

https://www.facebook.com/419650175248377/posts/498282894051771/?d=n

https://www.facebook.com/419650175248377/posts/494687304411330/?d=n

The Ohio law prohibits the release of student records without the written consent of an adult former student, the Court opined, but added that the law "makes no exception if the former student died without giving consent."

The case arises from a August 2019 mass shooting in which Connor Betts, an adult, killed nine people and injured 27 others outside a Dayton bar. Betts was killed by police 30 seconds after he opened fire.

The Cincinnati Enquirer and other media outlets requested Betts' school records — including disciplinary records — after the shooting, and the local school district denied the requests.

Enquirer executive editor Beryl Love, criticized the opinion.

"The public's interest in knowing if a mass shooter exhibited worrisome behavior in the past is vital to understanding how to prevent mass shootings from happening in the future. The court's opinion completely and inexplicably ignored that factor and points to the need for this to be addressed in the state legislature."