Springfield, Ill. (ECWd) –
The Illinois State Board of Education has declined to provide the email addresses of its employees pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request by claiming that disclosing the email addresses of its employees (who presumably actually use the email addresses to conduct public business) would jeopardize the security of its system or its data, Section 7(1)(o) of the FOI Act.
Imagine if public bodies across this state started hiding all of their email addresses from the public.
Obviously, we disagree, and the Attorney General has in numerous Opinions mandated the disclosure of both public body email addresses and private business email addresses. We even prevailed in the disclosure of student email addresses at the College of DuPage several years ago (See Student Press Law Center article here).
We filed a Request for Review with the AG’s Public Access Counselor and fully expect a determination in our favor and disclosure of all ISBE employee email addresses.
Read the Request for Review below:
78929 FI let_Redacted
7 Comments
John K
Posted at 12:14h, 21 NovemberPlease be “cautious” … aware of abuse victims whose abusers have used public information to find their victims.
Also, disclosing employee email addresses can generate so much email traffic the user can’t manage the account. Politico, June 4, 2013:
“that she and the agency’s previous administrators needed a secondary email address for internal government correspondence, which otherwise would be swamped by the huge amount of email traffic flowing into their main, public address. Other agencies have offered similar defenses, the AP said.” {Behind semi-enforced paywall.}
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2013/06/ap-epa-not-the-only-agency-with-secret-email-addresses-018579
IG report on the matter.
https://www.epaoig.gov/report-congressionally-requested-inquiry-epas-use-private-and-alias-email
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 06:48h, 22 NovemberGood info, however, Illinois law does not permit the withholding of email addresses of public employees and officers.
John K
Posted at 08:48h, 23 November” … Illinois law does not permit the withholding of email addresses of public employees and officers.”
No exemptions for personal / private safety of the person possessing the email address?
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 09:17h, 23 NovemberNo, when we are talking about their government work email addresses – otherwise there would always be a made-up “safety” issue to withhold gov’t email addresses.
James Forrest
Posted at 18:48h, 18 NovemberThat seems quite a broad stroke of a request. What is your purpose for needing all those email addresses? The denial by ISBE is sound. Should folks start making FOIA requests regarding your funding sources pursuant of your 501(C4) organization status? Perhaps start digging for dark money funding?
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 10:11h, 19 NovemberIt is obvious you are confused about FOIA, funding sources, and “dark” money. You should read up on all of it before commenting again.
Dave
Posted at 14:44h, 18 NovemberThey must fear being held accountable