It is hard to know where to start in describing what is wrong with the Cook County, Illinois, district attorney’s attempt to compel disclosure of student records underlying investigative journalistic work by students at Northwestern University.The dispute between Northwestern’s Innocence Project and State's Attorney Anita Alvarez was well-explored in a recent New York Times article, reflecting the national attention that the case is properly receiving.It is of course troubling that the government is arguing, wrongly, that the journalism students investigating the murder case against Anthony McKinney are not “real” journalists protected by Illinois’ shield law.The purpose of shield laws is to protect the integrity of the newsgathering process.
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Covering Campus Crime (4th Edition)
The SPLC's comprehensive handbook on getting access to college crime information includes a discussion of crime statistics, security logs and disciplinary records.
Butler drops libel lawsuit against student blogger
Butler University dropped a libel lawsuit against an anonymous blogger but ispursuing disciplinary action against him.
Principal pulls interview from student paper, replaces with edited version
The principal of Bellevue East High School willonly allow student editors of the school's newspaper to publish thedrastically edited version of a Q&A with the superintendent of the schooldistrict rather than original report.
Principal demands tattoo ads be pulled from student newspaper
After requiring the removal of an articleand editorial about tattoos from the student newspaper of Timberland HighSchool in Wentzville, Mo., Principal Winston Rogers is now insisting the staff remove allpreviously approved tattoo ads, for which they have a full-yearcontract.
JMU journalists face disciplinary action after on-campus reporting
The Judicial Affairs Office at James MadisonUniversity in Harrionsburg, Va., informed students today it intends to go aheadwith disciplinary proceedings against two student journalists for their effortsin reporting a story for JMU's paper, The Breeze.
Ohio principal censors student obituary and photograph
The principal of Stow-Munroe Falls High School is censoring the student newspaper to prevent the publication of an obituary and photograph of a recent student suicide victim, going against the school's traditional practice.
October 2009 podcast: How to track down police reports
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S. Daniel Carter, director of public policy for Security on Campus, Inc., answers one of the most common questions college journalists raise: How do I get my hands on the police reports my college doesn't want me to see?
State Open Record Law Citations
Any law library (law school, courthouse) -- and many public libraries-- will carry your state's statute books.
Police investigate newspaper theft at Vincennes University
Police at Vincennes University in Vincennes, Ind. are investigating the theft of nearly2,000 copies of the student newspaper from on and off-campus distributionsites.