GL News Development Update

This is the second installment in my series on developing GL News, a local news initiative in the south suburbs. After experiencing one of the most challenging weeks ever in my initial article on embarking on this journey, I’m now seeing some progress—but I am also uncovering deeper systemic issues that need to be addressed.

At the core of journalism is access to public meetings, ensuring that residents are informed about how their government operates and how taxpayer dollars are spent. However, this past week, I witnessed deliberate efforts to control press access at a Thornton Township meeting, raising serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and potential violations of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (OMA).

During the meeting, mainstream media was granted full access to the main meeting room, while independent journalists and community-driven media were asked to go to an overflow room with a live stream on the televisions. While the overflow room was properly equipped, some community partners refused to accept these conditions. Additionally, certain journalists and community members who attempted to attend the meeting were asked to show press passes as a condition for entry.

Why Requiring Press Passes Violates the Illinois Open Meetings Act

The Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/2) states that public meetings must be open to all members of the public, including journalists, without arbitrary restrictions or credentialing requirements.

Thornton Township’s press pass requirement raises serious legal concerns, including:

• There is no legal basis for requiring press credentials. Public meetings must be accessible to all journalists, regardless of accreditation status. OMA does not allow public officials to exclude reporters based on press credentials or determine which journalists can cover government proceedings.
• Selective enforcement undermines transparency. If some journalists were allowed to attend without press passes while others were denied access, this constitutes arbitrary discrimination, which directly contradicts the principles of OMA.
• Public meetings must be accessible to all. OMA ensures that any member of the press or public has the right to attend and document meetings without additional barriers. Public officials cannot establish entry conditions that are not explicitly supported by the law.

I have since filed a formal complaint with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, requesting an investigation into Thornton Township’s conduct and advocating for corrective actions that prevent public officials from using press credentialing as a tool to exclude independent and community-based media from covering public affairs.

Why This Matters for Young Journalists and Civic Engagement

This experience underscores why GL News is not just about reporting—it’s about training young journalists to understand and engage with their government. If public officials can dictate who gets to cover government meetings based on arbitrary credentials, they can control the narrative and limit public scrutiny.

Through GL News, young journalists will gain:

• A working knowledge of laws like the Illinois Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act.
• Hands-on experience investigating and documenting government meetings for transparency.
• A civic engagement mindset, encouraging them to not only report the news but challenge unjust practices.

Expanding the Mental Health Component Through Journalism

Beyond government transparency, GL News is also making strides in youth mental health advocacy. This week, I received positive news about our mental health portal and the training we’re developing to help young people use journalism as a tool for mental health awareness and expression.

We are working to integrate the Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) program into our initiative, teaching high school students in the South Suburbs how to cope with their thoughts and emotions through storytelling and reporting. Journalism provides an outlet for young people to express their experiences, reduce stigma, and build connections through shared narratives.

Our approach will include:

• Students aged 10 to 14 developing foundational journalism skills and creating a short story book focused on mental wellness.
• Students aged 14 to 19 contributing to the GL News Mental Health Portal, using investigative journalism to explore mental health issues affecting their peers and community.
• Collaboration with schools, healthcare professionals, and community organizations to create a platform for students to share their stories and engage in solutions-based journalism.

While we continue to fight for government accountability and press freedom, we are also ensuring that journalism becomes a vehicle for healing, self-expression, and empowerment for young people.

What Happens Next?

• Awaiting a response from the Attorney General’s Office regarding my OMA complaint.
• Developing a student-led initiative to track and report on public meetings, ensuring transparency and accountability in local government.
• Advancing the GL News Mental Health Portal, expanding training for youth journalists in the YAM program.

This situation has only strengthened my commitment to expanding civic literacy and mental health awareness through journalism. Public officials must follow the law, and when they don’t, we must challenge them. At the same time, young people deserve a platform to share their voices and stories in ways that strengthen both their communities and their well-being.

Stay tuned for my next update in two weeks. This fight for transparency and mental health advocacy is just beginning.