What the Documents Obtained
Through PA's Right to Know Law Suggest
Internal emails between Superintendent Dr. Frank Ranelli and Board President Dr. Kerry Sautner, dated April 8 to April 10, 2026, were received pursuant to a Right-to-Know request. They reveal what can be viewed as a coordinated strategy to prevent parental opt-out and manage what the community was allowed to hear after the March 23rd technology meeting.
What Is Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law?
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), Act 3 of 2008, gives any person the right to request and obtain public records from government agencies, including public school districts.
LMSD is a public school district funded by taxpayer dollars. Internal communications between district administrators, including emails sent and received on district accounts, are public records subject to disclosure.
These emails were legally requested, legally produced, and legally shared. Obtaining and publishing public records is not only permitted under Pennsylvania law, it is the foundation of government accountability in a democracy.
Anyone can file an RTK request. If you want to request additional LMSD records, visit the PA Office of Open Records.
Who sent these emails?
The chain involves two parties:
Dr. Frank Ranelli, Superintendent, Lower Merion School District. The district's top administrator, directly responsible for carrying out Board policy and communicating with the community.
Dr. Kerry Sautner, President of the LMSD Board of School Directors. The Board's presiding officer, responsible for setting district policy and providing direction to the Superintendent.
Both parties were communicating on official district accounts. These are public records.
What Is Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act?
Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 701 et seq., requires that official actions and deliberations by a quorum of a government agency take place at a meeting open to the public. For LMSD, a quorum is a majority of the nine-member Board of School Directors.
The Act defines "deliberation" as the discussion of agency business held for the purpose of making a decision, and "agency business" as the framing, preparation, making or enactment of laws, policy or regulations. Section 702 states that the public has a right to witness deliberation and policy formulation, not merely the final vote.
A board may hold a closed executive session only for specific reasons under Section 708: personnel matters, labor relations, real estate negotiations, consultation with legal counsel about litigation, and matters protected by legal privilege. Section 710.1 separately requires that residents have a reasonable opportunity to comment on matters before the board takes official action.
This is a summary of public law for community information, not legal advice. Full text available from the PA Office of Open Records.
Key Provisions
Section 702 — The public has a right to witness the deliberation and policy formulation of its agencies, not merely the final vote.
Section 704 — Official action and deliberations by a quorum must take place at a meeting open to the public.
Section 708 — Executive session is permitted only for personnel, labor relations, real estate, attorney consultation about litigation, and legal privilege.
Section 710.1 — Residents must have a reasonable opportunity to comment before the board takes official action.
The Emails, In Full
Read the complete email chain below. These are unedited public records produced by LMSD in response to a Right-to-Know request.
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