An Illinois bill protecting student journalists’ rights was signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner Friday and is effective immediately. The state had existing protections for college journalists, but the bill adds similar protections for students in public high schools as well. Students in public high schools will now have a legally protected right to choose what… Continue reading Illinois governor signs landmark measure protecting high school journalists against censorship
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Illinois governor signs landmark measure protecting high school journalists against censorship
Illinois becomes the tenth state with a statute protecting the independence of student journalists, joining a growing nationwide movement that began with passage of the New Voices of North Dakota Act in 2015.
July 2016 Podcast: Why so secret? Shedding light on closed-door presidential searches at public universities
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Judith Wilde and James Finkelstein join SPLC for this month's Podcast to discuss the troubling trend of public universities hiring private head-hunting firms to conduct presidential searches in secret. Wilde and Finkelstein, both working from the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, recently released the result of their own research breaking… Continue reading July 2016 Podcast: Why so secret? Shedding light on closed-door presidential searches at public universities
Wayne State College dismisses two faculty from adviser positions
Two faculty advisers in the media department at Wayne State College have been removed from their positions.
UPDATE: UCF files request for financial sanctions against student media in open records lawsuit
The University of Central Florida is asking a court to order a student-run news website, Knight News, to pay the university’s attorneys fees in an open records lawsuit the student media outlet filed against the university.
Parent files U.S. Supreme Court petition challenging FERPA protection of security footage
A petition has been filed asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider whether security videos should be classified as educational records under federal law.
Illinois state appellate court rules high school association not subject to FOIA
An Illinois appellate court has affirmed a circuit court ruling that the Illinois High School Association, which oversees public high school athletics, is exempt from Freedom of Information Act requests.
Q and A with Hope Johnson
New Voices: Whenever your teacher taught the class about the history of journalism in America, what case stood out to you the most? Hope Johnson: Without a doubt, the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case. I went home that day and researched the case for hours. N.V.: Why did that case stand out the most to you?… Continue reading Q and A with Hope Johnson
Hazelwood Inspires Student’s Testimony
When Hope Johnson was a freshman in high school, her journalism instructor taught her class the history of American journalism. But one lesson in history stuck out the most to her, and even struck a nerve. The Hazelwood case. “It made me slightly angry, but mostly confused,” said Johnson. “I was under the impression that… Continue reading Hazelwood Inspires Student’s Testimony
What/where/when of sexual assaults is a FERPA secret, Illinois college claims
Naperville’s North Central College, located in an affluent suburb just west of Chicago, acknowledges receiving reports of 10 sexual assaults over the most recent available three-year period. But that’s all they’ll acknowledge.The circumstances of each case – even the locations, dates and times – are a closely guarded secret because, Dean of Student Kimberly Sluis… Continue reading What/where/when of sexual assaults is a FERPA secret, Illinois college claims