NORFOLK - The Norfolk District Attorney's office has found the local school committee violated the state Open Meeting Law last year.

A local parents group, Citizens for Accountability and Responsibility in Education or CARE, filed the complaint, charging the school committee violated the law Feb. 7, 2006, when it called an emergency closed session to discuss the status of longtime Freeman-Centennial School third-grade teacher Eric Matez, who refused to teach to the MCAS tests and was later terminated.

Superintendent Chris Augusta-Scott's contract was also renewed at the session. The district attorney's office said an emergency session was warranted and that the superintendent's contract should have occurred at the end of the regular school committee meeting held after the closed session.

"There was no emergency within the meaning of the Open Meeting Law," the district attorney's office said. "In spite of several reasons offered by the school committee, the committee has not brought forth sufficient evidence to substantiate its decision to go into executive session."

An assistant district attorney did determine the emergency meeting was properly called to order in public session and posted. "The school committee is respectful of the ruling made by the district attorney's office, however, we feel that it is important for the community to know that the Open Meeting Law defines emergency as a sudden, generally unexpected occurrence or set of circumstances demanding immediate action," school committee Chairwoman Kim Williams said.

"This was a difficult time for Norfolk public schools and there was much occurring that was unexpected and requiring immediate action. Due to the controversy surrounding the teacher, the committee saw a need for an emergency meeting."

The district attorney's interpretation of the law is much narrower in scope than the committee's attorney's interpretation, Williams said.

STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.