(The Center Square) – Emails of a Rhode Island teacher for a year, and those including his use of the name Trump, plus his curriculum materials will cost a parent $117,130, says Barrington Public Schools.
Nicole Solas’ lawyer, James McGlone of the Goldwater Institute’s pro-bono American Freedom Network, said public interest is such that these public records of Ben Fillo should be made public without any cost. At a minimum, a “drastic revision” is merited.
Fillo, a social studies teacher, on social media celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Fillo’s descriptors of Kirk included “piece of garbage” and “not in heaven.”
Kirk was shot to death at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He was the founder of Turning Point USA and known for active engagement in civil debate with those in disagreement with him.
“Public school teachers publicly celebrating murder teaches children that political violence is permissible when you have a different point of view and creates a hostile learning environment,” Solas said in a statement provided Thursday to The Center Square by the Goldwater Institute. “Children will be afraid of disagreeing with their teachers in the pursuit of truth and knowledge.”
The school district’s statement in response to the situation centers on procedure, fairness and community concerns. Personnel decisions remain private. Christopher Ashley, interim superintendent, recommended an independent investigator and lawyer Matthew Oliverio was appointed to lead it.
Ashley is hopeful Oliverio can determine if Fillo violated district policy, or possibly the law.
Barrington Public Schools is a district of more than 3,200 in kindergarten through 12th grade about 7 miles from Providence. It operates on a budget of more than $65 million, according to the district website.
Solas on Sept. 16 requested Fillo’s emails from Sept. 1, 2024, to present; and all curriculum materials including but not limited to instructional, supplementary, handouts, dittos, assignments, videos, links, resources, guides, worksheets, workbooks, prompts, and “any other record used to teach and/or prepare to teach the young and impressionable minds of other people’s children who are entitled to an education free from indoctrination.”
A second request two days later was made for Fillo’s emails since Jan. 1, 2016, using “Trump.”
The district on Sept. 24 – roughly 144 hours after the second request, including the weekend – quoted 7,735.5 hours of labor within generation of the cost. Its message letter said 789 emails were retrieved from Sept. 1, 2024, to present; and 1,438 emails with “Trump” from Jan. 1, 2016, to Sept. 1, 2024.
“It should never cost $117,000 to see the curriculum materials of a single social studies teacher in a public school because those materials are already paid for by the taxpayer,” Solas said.
McGlone, through his response last Friday, is hopeful for a resolution. He said Fillo is “on administrative leave; the local teachers union has removed him as copresident; and the Barrington School Committee voted unanimously to retain legal counsel to conduct an outside investigation into the matter.”
He further stated students “have come forward with evidence of his viewpoint discrimination and political bias in the classroom.”
