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In a democracy, transparency isn’t optional — it’s the bedrock of trust between the people and their government. That’s what makes the ongoing dispute in Southampton County so troubling.

Last December, Southampton County Public Schools received a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request asking for a decade’s worth of financial documents — 16 categories in all. The request came from attorneys representing the county’s Board of Supervisors. Months later, not a single document has been produced. The result? A lawsuit.

According to Board of Supervisors Chairman Dr. Alan Edwards, it wasn’t a decision they wanted to make. “Basically, we just ran out of patience,” he said. That’s not just frustration talking — it’s a failure of public service.

Let’s be clear: FOIA isn’t a nuisance or a favor. It’s the law. More importantly, it’s a promise — a promise that the government will not operate behind closed doors. Public records belong to the public. That includes how school dollars are spent, how decisions are made, and how taxpayer-funded institutions conduct themselves.

The school system’s chairwoman, Dr. Deborah Goodwyn, insists their attorney had been in contact with the Board of Supervisors’ attorney and that both sides had been negotiating to narrow the scope of the request. She says responding to the full FOIA would cost about $30,000 in staff time and copying fees, and that their legal team had tried to reduce that burden. Those are fair points, to a degree.

But communication isn’t compliance. Acknowledging a request and then dragging it out for months isn’t the same as fulfilling it. And while FOIA allows agencies to recover reasonable costs and request clarification on large requests, it does not permit them to delay indefinitely.

The school division says it sent a letter on Jan. 8 invoking a seven-day extension. By April, 17 separate FOIA requests still sat unanswered. That’s not negotiation — that’s stonewalling. When months pass and the public still hasn’t received any records, it doesn’t matter how many attorney meetings are held. The only message being sent is: “We’ll get to it when we feel like it.”

That’s a dangerous precedent. When one public body has to sue another to get access to public records, we’ve lost sight of who they all serve — the citizens.

This isn’t about assigning blame to one side. It’s about reminding every public official that transparency is part of the job. Yes, large FOIA requests can be time-consuming and require resources. Yes, narrowing them can help. But those conversations must happen in good faith — and quickly. Delaying a response for weeks or months, especially on a matter as important as financial accountability, only invites suspicion and damages trust.

And let’s not forget what’s at stake. These FOIA requests were spurred by community concerns — individuals who spoke with attorneys, asking for answers about how school funds were managed. When public money is involved, the public has every right to ask questions. The government has a duty to answer.

Instead of viewing FOIA as a chore, school boards, city councils, and every public agency should treat it as a fundamental responsibility, not an obstacle. Budget for it. Train for it. Prioritize it. Because once the public starts to feel that records are being withheld, whether intentionally or through inaction, faith in the entire system erodes.

The Southampton case may play out in court. But it shouldn’t have to. What’s needed isn’t more litigation — it’s a culture shift. One where FOIA isn’t the exception, but the norm. One where the question isn’t “Do we have to release this?” but “How quickly can we get this to the people who have a right to see it?”

We hope public officials, not only in Southampton County but throughout the country, take this moment to reflect. The law is clear. The public’s right to know is non-negotiable.