The public is entitled to know what city council members are talking about during meetings. Even when their thumbs are doing the talking.That's the takeaway from a new ruling from an Illinois court, which affirms that messages exchanged by government officials -- even on their personal cellphones -- are public records that must be produced on request.In City of Champaign v.
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Bad taste, bad law: In “Hot for Teacher” case, federal court flunks First Amendment 101
By any standard, Joseph Corlett displayed questionable taste in a series of journal entries he submitted for a college writing assignment.Because of that poor judgment, Corlett is receiving little public sympathy after his Michigan college suspended him for making lustful comments about his instructor in a writing assignment.On July 23, a federal district judge found no First Amendment violation in Oakland University's decision to suspend Corlett on a charge of harassment.There is no disputing that Corlett's journal entries -- comparing his English professor to "Gilligan's Island" sex-symbol Ginger and generally "hubba-hubba-ing" over her appearance -- were unbecoming to a married 57-year-old businessman. But the federal court's ruling takes dangerous liberties with the law of the First Amendment.
Florida state trooper responsible for University of North Florida newspaper theft
Last month, we reported on the theft of thousands of newspapers at the University of North Florida. At the time, editors and police hadn't yet determined who was responsible for the theft, some of which was captured on surveillance video.Now, the paper has learned that a state trooper with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has admitted responsibility for at least some the thefts. According to reports in The Spinnaker, UNF police recognized one of the two men in the video as a highway patrol officer, and contacted Florida Highway Patrol.
Pa. court ruling could open access to records from state-related institutions like Penn State
An appeals court has ruled that documents possessed by the state’s secretary of education in his role as a Pennsylvania State University trustee are records that fall under the state’s public records law.
Louisiana court won't hear LSU appeal in presidential search records case
An appeals court has denied Louisiana State University a stay of proceedings of a district court that ruled the university must release the names of candidates in its most recent presidential search.
TRANSPARENCY TUESDAY: Taking stock of where legislatures broadened — and narrowed — public access laws in 2013
Summertime means most state legislatures have called it quits for the year, which means it's timely to assess where the public's right of access to meetings and records has advanced and where it has declined.Here are a few examples of newly enacted changes in state open-government laws that journalists should be aware of.
Professional journalist speaks out in favor of students as New Jersey school board reconsiders prior review policy
Discussion and disagreement over a New Jersey high school’s prior review policy has moved a professional journalist to speak out on behalf of student journalists.Adviser Thomas McHale, who oversaw Hunterdon Central Regional High School’s student newspaper for a decade, resigned in May after school officials started enforcing the district’s prior review policy.
Former Nevada high school student's off-campus speech lawsuit can proceed, judge says
A judge ruled this month to let proceed a lawsuit from a former Nevada high school basketball player who was suspended and then forced to switch schools after posting a series of tweets off-campus.
S.C. Supreme Court allows radio host's public records lawsuit to proceed
A radio host’s 2009 public records lawsuit will get another look after the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s decision to dismiss the case Wednesday.
Recent grad sues Michigan school district seeking access to names of expelled students
The Hastings Area School System has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a former student after the district would not release the names of expelled students in its board meeting minutes.