ACCOMAC, VA - WBOC has learned that an Accomack County Judge has sided with former Superintendent Dr. Rhonda Hall over allegations that the Accomack County School Board violated Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in their firing of Hall.
Hall became acting Superintendent for Accomack County Public Schools in February of 2023. On October 23, 2024, The Accomack County School Board voted 5-4 to terminate Hall during a special Board meeting. That meeting was announced on October 21, 2024, and was described as a “Closed Special Meeting to discuss legal and personnel matters” on the Accomack County Public Schools website.
In a lawsuit filed on April 11, 2025, Hall alleges three counts against the Accomack School Board and the five board members who voted to terminate her employment:
1. The October 23, 2024 meeting violated multiple FOIA requirements,
2. That her termination was wrongful and void
3. That her firing was retaliatory and thus in violation of the Fraud and Abuse Whistle Blower Protection Act.
Following a motion to bifurcate, or a request to separate a case into multiple distinct trials, the FOIA violation allegation became the first focus in Accomack County Circuit Court.
Hall’s lawsuit argues the special October 23 meeting in which she was terminated violated Virginia’s FOIA laws for multiple reasons. The suit first alleges the meeting was not properly and timely posted to allow enough advanced notice to the public. Less than three days of notice for a meeting in which the dismissal of the Superintendent was being discussed, Hall says, was “unreasonable under the circumstances.”
The suit goes on to argue that the School Board included an open session before and after the special closed session - open sessions that Hall says were not announced to the public.
“The public was and is entitled to an accurate description of the type of meeting to be held, and was misled into believing that there would be no opportunity to observe an open meeting, witness a vote on public business or observe any other public business to be conducted,” Hall’s suit reads.
Hall’s final argument is that the special meeting was announced to be held in the “School Board Conference Room” without providing a specific address, and that the conference room did not provide enough room to hold an open session.
“...the School Board in this instance - and in particular, Board Chair Martin-Turner - thwarted, frustrated and prevented public information and access, which violated both the letter and spirit of the VFOIA,” the suit reads before going on to call Hall’s termination “indefensible.”
According to court documents obtained by WBOC, on Thursday, May 1, an Accomack County Circuit Court Judge ruled the School Board of Accomack County did commit FOIA violations in holding the October 23, 2024 meeting.
The court granted injunctive relief in Hall’s favor Thursday, meaning the Board and its members are prohibited from making the same kinds of violations again, according to Hall’s attorney Kevin Martingayle. If the Board does commit those violations, Martingayle says, they could be held in contempt of court and incur financial penalties.
The Accomack County Circuit Court Judge went on to order a future hearing date to determine any penalties against the five board members, as well as any attorney fees or court costs possibly owed to Hall.
WBOC reached out to Accomack School Board Chair Martin-Turner for comment Thursday but did not receive an immediate response.
The two other allegations - that Hall was wrongfully terminated and that her termination was retaliatory - have yet to be weighed in court. Martingayle says that while FOIA proceedings move quickly, the rest of Hall's claims against the Accomack County School Board will not.
The remainder of the suit could take months or possibly a year before it is decided, Martingayle tells WBOC.
WBOC will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available.