Knight study shows hope, raises issues
The 2016 Knight Foundation’s study of student and teacher beliefs, Future of the First Amendment, has some good news about student beliefs but is equally troubling about what teachers think.
The study showed that 91 percent of students agree people “should be able to express unpopular opinions” compared with 83 percent in 2004.
Results also showed students who more frequently consume news and actively engage with news on social media demonstrate stronger support for First Amendment freedoms.
Teacher responses, on the other hand, create some areas of concern.
[pullquote]When asked if high school students should be allowed to report on controversial issues in their student newspapers without the approval of school authorities, 66 percent of students strongly or mildly agreed. Teachers had a 61 percent disapproval rate.[/pullquote]
• When asked if high school students should be allowed to report on controversial issues in their student newspapers without the approval of school authorities, 66 percent of students strongly or mildly agreed. Teachers had a 61 percent disapproval rate.
• When asked whether students should be allowed to express their opinions about teachers and school administrators on Facebook or other social media without worrying about being punished by teachers or school administrators for what they say, 33 percent of teachers strongly or mildly agreed while 54 percent of students did.
• When asked whether schools should be allowed to discipline students who post material on social media outside of school that school officials say is offensive, 28 percent of students strongly or mildly agree while 52 percent of teachers did.
The survey, compiled by Kenneth Dautrich of the Stats Group, polled 11,998 high students and 726 teachers. It is the sixth Knight FoundationFuture of the First Amendment since 2004. Past results can be found here.
Read MoreNo one lives in a Hazelwood state
by Candace Perkins Bowen, MJE
The first time a journalism teacher in a convention session asked for advice because she lived “in a Hazelwood state,” I know I frowned. What? You may be in a state that doesn’t protect student speech, but how would that make you a Hazelwood state?
The important news is — it doesn’t.
In 1969 when Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District said students don’t shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate, this meant all students — it was a protection.
But Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988) didn’t overturn Tinker. And it didn’t say schools HAD to censor or prior review. In fact, eventually we have found some pretty big loopholes. For one thing, your state CAN pass legislation that protects student speech, as North Dakota did in April 2015 to join the other nine states that have laws (and two that have education codes). This new surge of interest in legislation has emerged in more than 21 states, with many adopting the New Voices name.
[pullquote]The more we can do to discourage school officials from seeing Hazelwood-supported censorship as an obligation but instead perceiving it as an embarrassment, the better off scholastic journalism will be. Avoiding the ‘Hazelwood state’ moniker is one way to do that…Mark Goodman[/pullquote]
But even if your state doesn’t offer such protection, you have options. For one thing, you can operate as an open forum for student expression, either by your board policy or by your own practice of having students make content decisions and avoid prior review.
As former SPLC director Mark Goodman, now Knight Chair in Scholastic Journalism and professor at Kent State, said, “It goes back to the fact that Hazelwood never requires censorship by school officials. Too many people misread or misinterpret Hazelwood as being a directive as opposed to a permission.”
He pointed out that even in these so-called “Hazelwood states” many student journalists have strong First Amendment protection as a result of their school’s policy or practice of designating them as a public forum.
“The more we can do to discourage school officials from seeing Hazelwood-supported censorship as an obligation but instead perceiving it as an embarrassment, the better off scholastic journalism will be. Avoiding the ‘Hazelwood state’ moniker is one way to do that,” Goodman said.
Read More
Celebrate Free Speech Week,
show it means something real
Free Speech Week starts Monday, Oct. 19 and continues through Oct. 25.
Let’s show the nation it means something to scholastic journalism, its students and advisers.
According to information from the its website, Free Speech Week (FSW) is a yearly event to raise public awareness of the importance of free speech in our democracy- and to celebrate that freedom. As freedom of speech is a right all American’s share, this non-partisan, non-ideological event is intended to be a unifying celebration.
SPRC suggestions include:
• Publish at least one substantive story across platforms this week that show students who practice free speech to make final content decisions perform intelligently and act journalistically responsible, no matter how controversial the topic
• Reach out to some part(s) of your communities and show them how and why free speech guidelines are important, not only for publishers but for audiences
• Invite community members, from students to adults in and out of school, to sessions where students decide content to be published so these observers can see the thought and principles that go into decision-making.
• Follow links to the FSW Social Media Badge used to the left and/or the FSW logo and display your active support.
Scholastic media can also become partners with FSW and display badges like the one at the start of this article and others. Click here to find out how.
In fact, try to get your whole school to partner and display the social media badge o FSW logo.
You can find other celebration suggestions on the Celebration Ideas 
webpage.
Click on the image to the right to find free speech and expression quotes for personal use.
Read More
The foundations of journalism:
policies, ethics and staff manuals
Mouse over the visual and click on numbers 1-4 for content.
Read MoreNorth Dakota introduces legislation
to protect student expression
With North Dakota’s introduction of a freedom of expression bill Jan. 19, student journalists in other states might want to know how to work on legislation in their states.
The John Wall New Voices Act is designed to protect student First Amendment rights both public high schools and public and private colleges.
Seven states have passed legislation protecting student expression at the scholastic levels, and Illinois protects college-level speech.
Students or advisers interested in obtaining materials to consider working on legislation can check these resources:
• SPLC model legislation to protect student free expression rights
• SPLC map and model guidelines for legislation
• JEA/SPRC Blueprint for state legislation