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Families frustrated by secrecy over Fort Worth ISD’s future leadership

2026-02-25T14:51:33-06:00

By Jacob Sanchez and Matthew Sgroi Fort Worth Report Originally published Feb. 24, 2026 Nearly 300 people want a seat on the Texas-appointed board replacing FWISD’s nine locally elected trustees, but none of their names are publicly known. The Fort Worth Report requested the list of applicants seeking to serve on the board of managers through Texas’ open records law. Agency officials declined to release it, requesting an opinion from the Texas attorney general’s office. That lack of transparency frustrates Fort Worth parents and residents as Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath prepares to appoint the managers in the coming weeks. The [...]

Families frustrated by secrecy over Fort Worth ISD’s future leadership2026-02-25T14:51:33-06:00

FOI scholarship deadline for law students extended to March 6

2026-02-25T14:55:43-06:00

UPDATE: The Joel White Scholarship application deadline is extended to March 6. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas soon will award scholarships to journalism, photojournalism and law students for the 2026-27 academic year. The Ralph Langer Scholarship is a $6,000 award presented to an undergraduate journalism or photojournalism student attending a Texas college or university. It honors Ralph Langer, who was executive editor and vice president of The Dallas Morning News and a leader of the FOI Foundation of Texas in its early years. His wife, Kathy Langer, created the scholarship. The deadline to apply was Feb. 13. The Joel [...]

FOI scholarship deadline for law students extended to March 62026-02-25T14:55:43-06:00

CJR: The SLAPP problem is worse than we thought

2025-12-04T17:24:03-06:00

By Liam Scott Columbia Journalism Review Originally published Dec. 4, 2025 Press freedom advocates and media lawyers in the United States have long warned about the rise of frivolous lawsuits intended to intimidate and silence journalists through expensive legal battles. But despite anecdotal evidence, the problem has remained amorphous. No one has been able to say just how bad it is because no one has closely tracked the filings, known as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs. A free speech group at New York University is trying to change that. In November, as President Donald Trump threatened to sue the BBC [...]

CJR: The SLAPP problem is worse than we thought2025-12-04T17:24:03-06:00

Austin cancels budget session after lawyers allege open meetings violation

2025-11-13T09:57:26-06:00

By Chaya Tong Austin American-Statesman Originally published Nov. 12, 2025 The city of Austin late Wednesday opted to cancel a highly anticipated City Council budget work session after two attorneys alleged there had been a lack of adequate public notice for the meeting. The 11-member council had been set to convene Thursday to discuss what cuts to make to the budget a week after Austin voters rejected a controversial tax hike proposal known as Proposition Q. But on Wednesday, Austin lawyers Bill Aleshire and Rick Fine accused the city of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act by leaving out two key pieces of information government entities are now [...]

Austin cancels budget session after lawyers allege open meetings violation2025-11-13T09:57:26-06:00

Texas Talks podcast features FOI Foundation’s educational outreach, advocacy

2025-11-06T12:54:40-06:00

The Texas Talks podcast hosted by Brad Swail and the Lone Star Standard recently featured Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas executive director Kelley Shannon to discuss the foundation's open government outreach and advocacy. You can listen to the 30-minute podcast on Spotify, Apple, X/Twitter or YouTube.

Texas Talks podcast features FOI Foundation’s educational outreach, advocacy2025-11-06T12:54:40-06:00
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