What’s in your editorial policies,
board- and publication-level,
does make a difference
Sometimes adversity can be a blessing in disguise. At least that is the point SaraRose Martin, co-editor of Fauquier High School’s The Falconer published May 8.
CJE test-takers need not fear law & ethics questions
“But the law and ethics questions worry me,” said a slightly frazzled journalism teacher as she slid into the last row of seats for one of the Denver convention’s Getting Certified sessions. She was going to take the test later that day in hopes of becoming a Certified Journalism Educator, and she knew she HAD to pass that part of the test.
Read MoreCrossing the line: student challenges public media ethics
When a television reporter crossed the line to get a story about a local high school’s security system that led to a school lockdown, a student journalist challenged the media’s ethics.
Kirkwood High School’s (Mo.) Ian Madden knew from journalism class that truth is the most important tool in journalistic ethics. When a reporter from the St. Louis television station KSDK (Channel 5) went under cover to gather information about the the flaws in Kirkwood High School building security, Madden knew he had to challenge the television reporter’s ethics. In addition to surreptitiously gaining entrance into the school, the professional reporter misconstrued and left out crucial information that set off Madden. He was not the only one who noticed. Media from across the country picked up Madden’s challenge, which ultimately let to an apology to the public from the television station.
According to Madden’s adviser, Mitch Eden, “everybody noticed. Local media, social media and, of course, the Kirkwood H.S. media. Ian Madden, Kirkwood Call opinions writer, was so upset he started writing at midnight and posted to TheKirkwoodCall.com the next morning. It connected with the audience receiving more than 30,000 hits in a three-day span. Ian was a spokesperson for his peers and community. He was questioning journalism ethics by the professional media. His piece was picked up and mentioned in several local media outlets and he was a guest on a KMOX radio show. The event itself eventually reached the New York Times, Poynter, SPJ and more. But it was Ian who modeled professional standards, quality journalism and even better passion and judgment first.”
Click this link to read Madden’s challenge to the professional media.
http://www.thekirkwoodcall.com/_stories_/opinion/2014/01/17/where-ksdk-went-wrong-2/
The following links document the impact of one student’s mission to challenge public media’s for engaging in unethical reporting practices.
*The Call’s breaking news piece of the event for background: http://www.thekirkwoodcall.com/top-stories/2014/01/16/khs-goes-on-lockdown-2/
*Check out these links of professional media covering the event and subsequently covering the journalistic ethics in question:
KHS/KSDK Security “Test”
The Call – Opinions (Ian Madden)
http://www.thekirkwoodcall.com/top-stories/2014/01/17/where-ksdk-went-wrong-2/
The Call – Breaking News (Antonia Akrap and Jane Manwarring)
http://www.thekirkwoodcall.com/top-stories/2014/01/16/khs-goes-on-lockdown-2/
KSDK
http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/01/16/newschannel-5-statement-school-safety/4531859/
Poynter
SNO Summary
KMOX Radio Show with Ian Madden
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacey-newman/tv-media-stunt-school-shootings_b_4647641.html
STL PD
Fox
http://fox2now.com/2014/01/16/kirkwood-high-school-locked-down-while-police-search-for-man/
KMOV
RFT:
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2014/01/ksdk_kirkwood_lockdown.php
McClellan:
WKT:
Opposing Views:
Gateway Journalism Review:
The Apology
http://www.ksdk.com/videos/news/2014/01/19/4653995/
St. Louis Today
SPJ Ethical Code: Avoid undercover methods of gathering info except when traditional open methods won’t yield info vital to public.
http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp:
Donnybrook:
http://video.ketc.org/video/2365158824/
New York Times
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
Set a good example: Credit others’ work
by Candace Perkins Bowen, MJE
Part 2 of a 2-part blog on teacher plagiarism and copyright issues
As the first part of this series noted, we teachers can sometimes be the most innocent thieves. That lesson plan we found online, the handout with another teacher’s name whited out, the great final project – when are we borrowing and when are we stealing?
Read MoreHow to handle the gun story
by Jane Blystone
Advisers who have asked how to localize stories about guns need look no further. The HiLite staff at Carmel High School (Ind.) show student journalists how to handle such a story package.
Adviser Jim Streisel shared “My HiLite students wanted to localize the issue of guns for our student readers by discussing the upcoming NRA convention in Indianapolis as well as recent legislation that now allows people to have guns on school property.”
Writer Christine Fernando’s story”Guns are the tool, not the evil” counterbalances Caitlin Muller’s “Guns are engineered for violence’ story.
There cover and two pages of the issue can be read here.
Read More