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DELEGATE HOPKINS: The word "record". Would

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this be interpreted to apply to academic records of students

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in the State colleges and public school system?

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DELEGATE WILLONER: I will read you what the law

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in Maryland is now: "The right to inspect public records

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or certain classes of records kept by a public official as a

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necessary part of his duty, has been held a right guaranteed

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by common law. The common-law principle being that any

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public record was open to an unqualified inspection.

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Mandamus is considered to be an appropriate course of action

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to enforce the production of public records for inspection

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and private persons may avail themselves of this power with-

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out the need for intervention by a government law officer.

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The question of an individual's right to

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inspect a record depends upon two basic requirements: First,

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the individual must have sufficient interest in the records

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or information and, second, that the records not be of such

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a nature that the record not violate the law or public

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policy."

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It is my opinion that it would violate a public

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policy to open up academic records. I