Quite often government entities, such as village boards of trustees or county clerks, knowingly or unintentionally hide or omit information that the public has a right to know. We are partially protected from such government malfeasance by Sunshine Laws, otherwise known as Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Laws.
It is common for journalists to use sunshine laws in their role of keeping the public informed. Everyone has the right to make a freedom of information request, and the Illinois Citizen Advocacy Center can help people through this sometimes Kafkaesque process.
The Citizen Advocacy Center also helps teachers and students learn more about their rights and civic obligations through workshops and seminars.