The University of Missouri has prevailed in a public records lawsuit filed by an education advocacy group that sought access to professors' copies of course outlines.
A Boone County Circuit Court judge recently rejected the National Council on Teacher Quality's efforts to compel release of copies of course syllabi under the state's open records laws. University of Missouri system President Tim Wolfe disclosed the favorable ruling in an email to university employees last week.
The council sought the records as part of its nationwide effort to monitor what aspiring teachers learn in college. The university contended that the documents are intellectual property legally protected under federal copyright law.
The council released its review in June, concluding that college programs that train future teachers don't adequately prepare them for the classroom.
