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Jennifer Smith Richards

I pursue stories about abuses of power — often focusing on schools and education — and stories about private businesses throughout the Midwest.

Need to Get in Touch?

Tips about government and business, particularly in the Midwest, are welcome. I’m also eager to hear from educators and government officials. I want to connect with parents and students experiencing the administration’s policy changes.

What I Cover

My stories focus on abuses by powerful government institutions. Right now, I am reporting on how the Trump administration is reshaping the federal government’s role in schools and education — and what that means for young people. I’m especially interested in shifts in the way students’ civil rights are monitored and enforced at school.

My Background

I began my journalism career writing obituaries in West Virginia, then covering small-town southern Ohio. I’ve written about schools and education at newspapers in Huntington, West Virginia; Utica, New York; Savannah, Georgia; and Columbus, Ohio. Most recently, I worked for the Chicago Tribune, where my work exposed the practice of police issuing tickets to students at school, abusive educators, government misspending, sexual abuse in schools, lapses in police accountability and the mistreatment of students with disabilities. My stories have prompted new state laws, the prosecution of school officials and the creation of child-protection units in school districts and state education departments.

I’m a graduate of Ohio University and I live in Chicago.

The Quiet Rooms

Schools Aren’t Supposed to Forcibly Restrain Children as Punishment. In Illinois, It Happened Repeatedly.

As Illinois moves to restrict the use of physical restraint in schools, records show the practice was often misused, leaving students and staff injured.

by Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Jodi S. Cohen and Lakeidra Chavis, ProPublica Illinois,

The Quiet Rooms

How We Reported This Story

We created the first-ever database of thousands of incidents of restraint and seclusion in Illinois.

by Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Haru Coryne, Jodi S. Cohen and Lakeidra Chavis, ProPublica Illinois,

The Quiet Rooms

A 7-Year-Old Complained About a Scary Office at School. This Is the Video His Parents Saw — a Month Later.

“I want accountability,” the boy’s father said. The video prompted one of 21 investigations into abuse at an Illinois school that secluded students more than 1,700 times last school year.

by Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica Illinois, and Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune,

The Quiet Rooms

“None of the Children at the School Are Safe”

One school. 21 abuse investigations. And the struggle to stop relying on seclusion and restraint.

by Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica Illinois, and Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune,

The Quiet Rooms

Illinois Will Allow Prone, Supine Restraints on Children While Schools Learn to Phase Them Out

The changes to a ban on restraints came after some schools said they could no longer serve children.

by Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Jodi S. Cohen and Lakeidra Chavis, ProPublica Illinois,

The Quiet Rooms

There’s an Emergency Ban on Isolated Timeouts in Illinois Schools. What’s Next?

The state board of education said it will refer school workers to law enforcement if they are suspected of committing crimes against children as the emergency ban on seclusion in Illinois public schools goes into effect.

by Lakeidra Chavis, Jennifer Smith Richards and Jodi S. Cohen,

The Quiet Rooms

Readers Choked Back Tears. Some Struggled to Keep Reading. We Understand.

A day after our reporting, Illinois ended isolated seclusion of children in schools across the state. What happened? Children’s voices were heard.

by Jodi S. Cohen, Jennifer Smith Richards and Lakeidra Chavis,

The Quiet Rooms

Illinois to Take Emergency Action to Halt Isolated Timeouts in Schools

Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the practice of secluding children “appalling” and said he will work with legislators to end it.

by Jennifer Smith Richards, Jodi S. Cohen, Lakeidra Chavis and Dan Petrella,

The Quiet Rooms

How We Reported This Story

We created the first-ever database of thousands of incidents of seclusion in Illinois.

by Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Haru Coryne, Jodi S. Cohen and Lakeidra Chavis, ProPublica Illinois,

The Quiet Rooms

The Federal Government Collects Data on How Often Schools Seclude Children. The Numbers Don’t Add Up.

Even though school districts are required to report their use of seclusion and restraint to the U.S. Department of Education, it can be difficult for parents to see the full picture.

by Lakeidra Chavis and Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica Illinois, and Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune,