Fools, wills and quotes: credibility disasters
by John Bowen, MJE
It’s that time of year.
Senior quotes. senior wills and April fools sometimes can be considered the 
three Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
They have minimal journalistic value and can quickly damage a staff’s –– and a school’s –– reputation and credibility.
What’s a good media staff to do?
The decision is even more difficult if it involves adamant seniors who demand such humor for their yearbook. Or, if for some reason there’s always been one. Tradition is a powerful wall to breach. With April Fools, some media missions call for entertainment. So, why not?
Read More‘Hardly any confidence’
Scholastic journalists must seize the opportunity to improve confidence in media
by CyndiCrothers-Hyatt
A recent national poll conducted by the Columbia Journalism Review asked Americans about their confidence in the press. It’s no surprise that in our country’s current climate there is a level of distrust of the media among Americans.
But the results were shocking. Not only is there mistrust but the level is staggering and mind-blowing.
The poll asked about confidence in seven institutions: military, law enforcement, universities, the Supreme Court, the Executive Branch, the press and Congress. The group that scored the highest in the “hardly any confidence at all” category?
The press.
Read MoreStudents in the forefront
Students who can name one of the five freedoms in the First Amendment earn an appropriate t-shirt from Mary Beth and John Tinker. Represented on stage were Florida, Texas and Iowa. (photo by Candace Bowen)
by Candace Bowen Third in a series
When anyone tells Mary Beth Tinker that students are the future, she firmly but politely corrects them: “No, they’re the present.”
If the students participating in the #Tinkerversary events this week are typical – and it would seem they are –, the present is in good hands.
Read MoreSPRC has wealth of information to share
by John Bowen, MJE
It seems advisers and students nationwide face more questions recently about law and ethics. Questions have dealt with unnamed sources, takedown requests and yearbook ethics among others.
We assist our followers with more than resources and examples.
While our team at the Scholastic Press Rights Committee respond quickly and authoritatively we, as our first step, urge you to contact the SPLC first for all legal questions. Outside that, SPRC members will do as much as we can on questions.
Our information sharing starts with the Panic Button:
Read MoreLet’s celebrate a #tinkerversary
by Candace Bowen, MJE
First of a series
“I had no idea our small action would lead to something so consequential,” Mary Beth Tinker told Smithsonian.com recently.
Now, 50 years after the Supreme Court ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines students and teachers don’t “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate,” it’s clear Mary Beth, her brother John and Chris Eckhardt have made a difference in the voices of students for generations.
Read MoreBuilding on Student Press Freedom Day and Year of the Student Journalist
This week began free expression celebration with Student Press Freedom Day, introduced the Year of the Student Journalist and showcased lessons and information on the 50th Tinkerversity.
For those who might have missed or wanted this information and more, here is relevant information all in one place:
- Year of the Student Journalist activities start a calendar year of national and individual events and programming that will raise awareness of student journalists’ role and struggles they face. For more information, go here.
- Tinker Turns 50 is a celebration of the 50thanniversary of Tinker. Scholastic journalists will be able to follow the Tinkers, John and Mary Beth,through events and programs as they return to Iowa, Feb. 18-28. Livestream and educational resources information are available. General information and links to the full schedule, here.
- The Schoolhouse Gate is a project to enable student journalists to tell stories about young people and free speech. Students from Parkland will gather submissions from around the nation about how free speech is being celebrated, challenged and used locally. See more information here.
- Celebrating Student Press Freedom Day is a JEA project of its Scholastic Press Rights committee with lessons, resources and daily free speech activities. Find those materials here.
- RFK Human Rights program extended the nomination deadline for its 2019 Journalism Awards student categories until Feb. 8. For more about the awards and guidelines go here.