Brechner News

Posted: February 13, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “Denver Students Sharing Photos, Video with Media During Teachers Strike Say They’re Getting Pushback from Principals” published in The Denver Post on Feb. 12. The article focuses students who are sharing video, photos and other information on conditions inside schools during the Denver teachers strike. The information was sent to local media and school administrators are pushing back. According to LoMonte, this is an issue that has been coming up more and more across the country and that many schools…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: February 4, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information  director, is the author of “The Legislative Response to a Perceived ‘Free Speech Crisis’ on Campus” published in the American Bar Association’s Communications Lawyer Winter 2019 edition. In the article, LoMonte surveys recent legislative action addressing students’ right to speak and publish freely at colleges and universities and identifies where the first wave of “campus free speech” laws may be vulnerable to constitutional challenge. “Whether the First Amendment applies with full force to college students’ interactions with their institutions is an unsettled question,” he…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: January 29, 2019

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) today announced the launch of Fresh Take Florida, an effort to provide coverage of Florida state government at a time when state capitals are increasingly under-covered. Six student journalists, all graduating seniors, will be covering executive-branch agency operations as well as legislation throughout the 2019 legislative session. They will focus on covering topics of particular impact to the North Central Florida area and the University of Florida community, and will include higher education, healthcare and environmental protection. “State government is the level of government that has the greatest importance in…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: January 28, 2019

Journalism Professor Clay Calvert, director of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Marion B. Brechner First Amendment Project, and Frank LoMonte, director of the College’s Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, co-authored “The Open Mic, Unplugged: Challenges to Viewpoint-Based Constraints on Public-Comment Periods” published in Case Western University Law Review, Vol. 69, Issue 1, 2018. The article references two Supreme Court First Amendment cases involving restrictions and punishments on speakers for expressing their opinions during public-comment periods. Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach involved the arrest of a citizen-critic who refused to stop using his city council’s…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Case Western University Law Review, Clay Calvert, Frank LoMonte, Marion B. Brechner First Amendment Project

Posted: January 28, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, was quoted in “When Public Officials Fight on Facebook, Are They Breaking the Law?” published in the Miami Herald on Jan. 25. The article focuses on a proposed welcome sign at the entrance to Miami Beach. Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman’s criticism of the design on Facebook is in question and might be considered a violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law. According to LoMonte, it’s not illegal for public officials to post about city business on social media, but public meetings must be open to…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte, Miami Herald

Posted: January 22, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “Florida Lawmakers Move to Restrict Teen Voter Information” published on wlrn.org on Jan. 18. The story focuses on two proposed bills in the Florida Legislature designed to restrict the publication of personal information of underage voters – 16 and 17-year-olds who can pre-register to vote. LoMonte says the restriction of this information could create accessibility issues and questions if the restriction is necessary. “If you create a certain class of voter whose information is not going to be disclosed then…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: January 16, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is the author of “Private Employers: You Can’t Forbid Your Workers from Talking to Journalists” published on Poynter.org on Jan. 14. In the article, LoMonte states that many employees believe they forfeit their free-speech rights when they take a job. However, LoMonte citing a new Brechner Center white paper, explains how federal labor law forbids private-sector employers from barring their employees from speaking to the news media without supervisory approval. “The First Amendment does not apply to decisions made by private employers, but…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: January 10, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is the author of the opinion column “UMD Owes Public Transparent Presidential Search” published in The Baltimore Sun on Jan. 10. According to LoMonte, higher education has never been more mismanaged and more secretive especially when selecting college and university presidents. “Not long ago, it would be unthinkable for a public university — one of the most powerful agencies of state government — to select a president without bringing several finalists to campus and debating their merits in the open. But then trustees…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte, The Baltimore Sun

Posted: December 18, 2018

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, was mentioned in “Portland Police Chief Calls Sluggish Public Record ‘Huge Issue’ That Must Be Fixed” published in The Oregonian on Dec. 14. The article focuses on the delay in fulfilling public records requests, specifically police reports, in Portland, Oregon because the function has been delegated to a skeleton crew. LoMonte offered to provide free diagnostic services from the Brechner Center to help make the process more efficient and to help Portland become a model agency for police records. However, the mayor’s office…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: December 13, 2018

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, was quoted in “Privacy Law Jeopardizes Student Safety and Facilitates School Cover-Ups” published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Dec. 9. The editorial focuses on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Enacted by Congress in 1974, it gives parents the right to inspect and challenge their children’s school records. Since its inception, the law has sometimes become a convenient excuse to withhold information about serious events that the public has a right to know. For example, not alerting law enforcement…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: December 7, 2018

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, was quoted in “Can Public Officials Block Users on Facebook? This Texas Case Could Help Answer That” published in The Texas Tribune on Dec. 6. The article features Deanna Robinson’s free speech case against the Hunt County (Texas) Sheriff’s office. She claims that she was blocked from posting and liking posts on their Facebook page after she made comments they did not agree with. Her case is now being heard by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans and the outcome…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: December 6, 2018

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “University of Arizona Spends $1.4 Million on Legal Bills Related to FBI Basketball Investigation” published in The Arizona Republic on Nov. 29. The article focuses on the University of Arizona’s use of high cost outside legal services to investigate the former Arizona Wildcats’ assistant basketball coach who was arrested on charges of bribery and fraud. LoMonte examined the legal bills released by the university and said school officials were “overzealous” in redacting information. “Bills from law firms are supposed to be public record,…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte