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  • It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Sarah Doerner, IJEA’s longest-serving president. Sarah died Nov. 29 in Du Quoin at the age of 86. Services were held Dec. 7. See below for our tribute to this great journalism educator.
  • High school seniors! Get your portfolios ready for the 2025 Illinois Journalist of the Year Contest! Entries will be due Feb. 15.
  • The winners of the 2024 IJEA Yearbook Contest have been announced! Check out our article below for the full listing of honorees!
  • A big thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 Fall Conference, which took place Sept. 20 at Illinois State University. The sessions were amazing! Thank you to all of our presenters!
  • Advisers! Join IJEA today! Annual memberships and lifetime memberships are available. Use our online form or fillable PDF to join!
Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

IJEA Blog: We've come a long way in Illinois scholastic journalism, but there's still a long way to go

IJEA Blog: We’ve come a long way in Illinois scholastic journalism, but there’s still a long way to go

Stan Zoller, MJE, IJEA Board Member December 21, 2016
As 2017 arrives, make a resolution to recognize that scholastic press rights are for every scholastic journalist and journalism educator in Illinois — and together we can make a difference!
BREAKING NEWS: Speech Rights of Student Journalists bill is law!

BREAKING NEWS: Speech Rights of Student Journalists bill is law!

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member July 29, 2016

HB5902, the Speech Rights of Student Journalist Act, became law in Illinois on July 29. Gov. Bruce Rauner's signature means that student journalists and their advisers are protected against arbitrary censorship;...

HB 5902: A Twitter Retrospective

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member June 28, 2016

From an idea to a public act signed by the governor into law, take a look at the journey of the Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act through the lens of Twitter. (Click on the Storify logo to access.)

UPDATE: HB 5902 is on governor's desk

UPDATE: HB 5902 is on governor’s desk

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member June 28, 2016

From Stan Zoller, Chair of the IJEA Legislation Committee: A picture is worth a thousand words.   Gov. Bruce Rauner has 60 days to sign, veto or take no action on the Speech Rights of Student Journalists...

House, Senate concur; HB5902 is headed to governor

House, Senate concur; HB5902 is headed to governor

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member June 1, 2016

A story that started just six short months ago is now nearing its resolution. The Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act was drafted to guarantee that scholastic journalists are not restricted by...

Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act (HB 5902) unanimously approved by full Senate

Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act (HB 5902) unanimously approved by full Senate

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member May 28, 2016

The IJEA Chair of the Legislation Committee, Stan Zoller, sends this update after the full Illinois Senate's unanimous passage of HB 5902 on May 27: The Senate passed HB5902 today by a margin of 51-0-1. The...

Speech Rights bill heads to Illinois Senate committee

Speech Rights bill heads to Illinois Senate committee

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member May 6, 2016

From Stan Zoller, JEA Director-at-Large and IJEA Member: The Illinois Senate Committee hearing  for the Speech Rights for Student Journalists Act is 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10 and is scheduled...

Destination360.com

Debrief: Behind the scenes of the student press freedom bill in the House

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member April 19, 2016

After the 114-0 vote in the Illinois House of Representatives on April 19, another step was taken on the path to ensuring free speech protections to the ethical and hardworking student journalists in Illinois. The...

Illinois Review

BREAKING NEWS: HB 5902 passes in the House!

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member April 18, 2016

The Speech Rights for Scholastic Journalists Act, HB 5902, passed in the Illinois House on April 19, by a 114-0 vote. The bill also picked up two more sponsors for a total of seven sponsors, five...

Journalism students from throughout Illinois stand with Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) in Springfield on April 6. The bill to protect student journalists' free speech rights was unanimously voted through committee that day.

Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act moves on to Illinois House

By Amanda Bright, IJEA Co-Secretary and Region 5 Board Member April 7, 2016

Scholastic journalism in Illinois scored a victory on April 6 as House Bill 5902, the Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act, was passed by the bipartisan Judiciary-Civil Committee by a vote of 11-0. The...

Bill preventing censorship of high school journalists introduced in Illinois House

By Dave Porreca, IJEA Website Editor February 18, 2016
The journey to overturn the power of Illinois public school administrators to interfere with responsible and ethical student journalism has begun, thanks to an energetic young state representative and the organizing efforts of IJEA and its allies.
A screenshot of the headline and graphic of The Wilson Beacon's editorial against prior review as it appeared online Aug. 31, 2015. Graphic by Ellice Ellis of The Wilson Beacon.

Students land a blow against prior review

By Dave Porreca, IJEA Website Editor August 31, 2015
On the first day of school the new principal of Woodrow Wilson High in Washington, D.C., instituted a policy of prior review for the school newspaper. The students pushed back, and the result was heartening for all who care about a free and responsible student press.
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