Open Records -- Access to Public Documents

The following excerpt was taken from Tim Harrower's textbook, "Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism," McGraw Hill, 2007.

"The issues: Shouldn't all government records be accessible to the public? Who gets to decide what's available -- and what's off-limits? Does invoking "national security" simply allow some agencies and officials to operate in secret, free of oversight?
Why it matters: Public officials must be held accountable for the money they spend, the actions they take, the mistakes and corruption they may try to conceal.
What the law dictates: In 1996, Congress passed the landmark Freedom of Information Act, requiring all federal agencies to make most of their records available upon request. Every state has its own version of FOIA covering schools, courts, cops, government, etc.
The confusing gray areas: The law exempts some material from public access: defense secrets, medical files, sensitive law enforcement data, etc. But, most gray areas result from confused bureaucrats and nervous public officials who don't understand or obey the law -- and thus deny or ignore legitimate requests for information."

Twenty-six tudents in two Writing for Print Media Classes at Indiana University of Pennsylvania have decided to challenge Pennsylvania's open record laws by requesting information from public organizations throughout the Commonwealth. They have been invited to share their experiences on this blog.