TSSAA Forced to Open Books

A Davidson County chancery court judge has ruled that the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association is subject to the Tennessee Open Records Act in a lawsuit filed by The City Paper.
Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman ruled in favor of the newspaper in a summary judgment delivered in oral remarks on Friday and agreed that the association was the functional equivalent of a governmental agency.
The Nashville newspaper filed a lawsuit after the athletic association did not provide records pertaining to Montgomery Bell Academy and records pertaining to violations of financial aid rules.
John Williams, the attorney representing the newspaper, said the case sets a precedent in Tennessee regarding the public’s right to access records from TSSAA.
TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said on Monday that they intend on appealing the ruling.