A government watchdog group says Governor Pat Quinn is using kids’ confidentiality as an excuse to keep WBEZ out of state juvenile prisons. Quinn is refusing WBEZ’s requests to examine the state’s juvenile prisons. He says the state has to protect kids’ identities.
Andy Shaw is the executive director of the Better Government Association. He says Pat Quinn has talked about open government and has even taken some concrete steps like telling state agencies to answer Freedom of Information requests quickly.
SHAW: In this case they are stonewalling and they don’t have a leg to stand on. I would say that if the governor wants to maintain a reputation for transparency and openness, they’ve got to find a way to accommodate you and protect the minors at the same time. It’s not rocket science.
Shaw is a former reporter who used to cover schools and he says there are standard practices journalists employ to protect the identities of kids.