A former Idaho superintendent wanted some basic enrollment information from an online public charter school: How many students attended the school last school year, broken down by home district and grade?

No names. Just numbers.

After he asked for the information in an email chain shared with EdNews, a school employee told him that if he wanted to submit a formal public records request, he needed to use her business email and “state the reason for the request specifically.”

He pushed back.

“I don’t believe that you are allowed under Idaho Code to ask me my reason for the request,” he wrote. “You may want to check.”

He was right.

The Idaho Attorney General’s Public Records Law Manual says public agencies generally may not ask why someone wants public records (see Question 25). There are limited exceptions, including inquiries about whether requested information will be used as a mailing or telephone list.

The school is a public charter school authorized by the Idaho Public Charter School Commission.

This all comes with a simple reminder for public agencies: You generally don’t get to ask why someone wants a public record.