Showcase principles of Constitution Day,
apply for this year’s FAPFA Awards
Constitution Day focused student journalists on power of free expression for scholastic media.
Your students can continue to recognize the importance of First Amendment practices and policies – and be recognized for it – by applying for this year’s FAPFA award.
This First Amendment Press Freedom Award recognizes high schools that actively support, teach and protect First Amendment rights and responsibilities of students and teachers. The recognition focuses on student-run media where students make all final decisions of content without prior review.
Roughly, here’s a sample of what the judging committee looks for in determining FAPFA recipients:
- No prior review or restraint by school faculty for all student media.
- Student staffers make all final decisions of content for all student media.
- Establish policies at all student media and school system levels or both as public forums for student expression.
- Remove Internet filters for student journalism use
- Students, advisers and administrators agree on First Amendment practices, philosophy and application across platforms.
As in previous years, schools compete for the title by first answering questionnaires submitted by an adviser and at least one editor. Those who advance to the next level will be asked to provide responses from the principal and all media advisers and student editors, indicating their support of the First Amendment. In addition, semifinalists submitted samples of their school and media online or printed policies that show student media applying their freedoms.
Schools recognized as meeting FAPFA criteria will be honored at the opening ceremony of the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle.
First round applications are due annually by Dec. 1. Downloadable applications for 2017 will be available on the JEA website in the fall.
Save this link and apply now. Even if your school received the recognition, you must re-apply yearly.
Meet the challenges raised by Constitution Day. Apply to be a FAPFA-recognized school.
This is the 17th year for the award.
Read MoreApply for First Amendment recognition
with FAFPA Award
Constitution Day participation can be a time to focus student journalists a on recognition for First Amendment practices and policies as well as civic engagement.
For instance, the FAPFA award.
This First Amendment Press Freedom Award recognizes high schools that actively support, teach and protect First Amendment rights and responsibilities of students and teachers. The recognition focuses on student-run media where students make all final decisions of content without prior review.
Roughly, here’s a sample of what the judging committee looks for in determining FAPFA recipients:
- No prior review or restraint by school faculty for all student media.
- Student staffers make all final decisions of content for all student media.
- Establish policies at all student media and school system levels or both as public forums for student expression.
- Remove Internet filters for student journalism use
- Students, advisers and administrators agree on First Amendment practices, philosophy and application across platforms.
As in previous years, schools compete for the title by first answering questionnaires submitted by an adviser and at least one editor. Those who advance to the next level will be asked to provide responses from the principal and all media advisers and student editors, indicating their support of the First Amendment. In addition, semifinalists submitted samples of their school and media online or printed policies that show student media applying their freedoms.
Schools recognized as meeting FAPFA criteria will be honored at the opening ceremony of the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle.
First round applications are due annually by Dec. 1. Downloadable applications for 2017 will be available on the JEA website in the fall.
Save this link and apply now.
Meet the challenges raised by Constitution Day. Apply to be a FAPFA-recognized school.
This is the 17th year for the award.
Read MoreApply for First Amendment Press Freedom Award recognition
by John Bowen
With the recognition and celebration of Constitution Day, applications are now available for this year’s First Amendment Press Freedom Award (FAPFA).
National scholastic journalism groups’ position on Neshaminy policy proposal
As the national organizations of journalism educators committed to the training of future journalists and the preparation of citizens for life in our democracy, we write to express our vigorous opposition to the proposed policy changes under consideration by the Neshaminy Board of School Directors that relate to school-sponsored student publications
We find the proposed policy changes, which give school officials virtually unlimited authority to censor student journalism even of the highest quality, educationally unsound, constitutionally insufficient and morally indefensible. They are inconsistent with the student media policies recommended by national education experts.
Read MoreIn case you missed these curriculum, activity materials
During the last week or so, JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission released or assisted with the release of some important teaching and advising materials.
In case you missed them then, here are the links again:
• Lesson plans for Constitution Day, Sept. 17 (and links to plans from previous years).
• Links to essential information available on the commission site
• Information about Quill and Scroll’s The Principal’s Guide to Scholastic Journalism revision now active and online. The print version will be available Nov. 1.
• Talking Points for teachers to use The Principal’s guide to fight against prior review and for the educational value of scholastic journalism.
• A blog on the importance of FOIA use.
JEA and its Scholastic Press Rights Commission hope these materials will be informative and useful.
Read More