From the SPRC vaults
April Fools dilemma:
• Is what is pictured to be eaten or used to do work?
• Should news media publish confusing
or misleading content?
It’s that time of the year again. Potentially, a time for fools, wills and disasters instead of credibility. Issues raised often irk groups and individual alike. Others laugh and downplay the falsity. Created by the famous, everyday citizens and a few who want to be comedians, the spread of publishing such ideas and events challenge high school decorum between the Ides of March and July 4.
They commonly make news – for better or worse – as April Fools, Senior Wills and Senior Superlatives.
Their value often agitates some, incenses others. Others roll their eyes and sigh.
Sometimes reactions are more intense and spark highly charged reactions: prior review, prior restraint and more.
Before your student media choose to publish anything of similar style, student staffers should decide purpose, value and truth of what they are about to unleash.
Read MoreMahanoy decision bolsters democracy’s roots, future
by John Bowen MJE
While words shared in anger in off-campus speech by an unhappy student might not seem to have lasting democratic value, they do. Expressing them and other views provides foundation for our marketplace of ideas, and reaffirms protection for unpopular and unpleasant ideas.
In Mahanoy School District v. B.L., The U. S. Supreme Court decided 8-1 school officials cannot control, in this case, student expression created off grounds. The court did not set additional standards or tests when schools can restrict off-campus speech, according to a Student Press law Center release.
The case developed from a student’s failure to make the varsitycheerleading squad and subsequent vulgar posts about the squad, the school and more.
“America’s public schools are the nurseries of democracy. Our representative democracy only works if we protect the “marketplace of ideas.” This free exchange facilitates an informed public opinion, which, when transmitted to lawmakers, helps produce laws that reflect the People’s will. That protection must include the protection of unpopular ideas, for popular ideas have less need for protection.” (Mahanoy School District v. B.L., emphasis added)
The Court’s decision recognized schools might have special interest in regulating some student speech, but not in this case.
“It might be tempting to dismiss B. L.’s words as unworthy of the robust First Amendment protections discussed herein,” wrote Justice Breyer for the court’s majority. “But sometimes it is necessary to protect the super- fluous in order to preserve the necessary.”
Teaching points from the decision could include:
• Working to help the school’s community understand and support the importance of protecting student speech seen as unpopular or unpleasant.
• Developing educational outreach programming by student media to explain student media responsibility of key legal and ethical principles including student designated forum status, making final decisions of all content and understanding SCOTUS decisions in Mahanoy, Tinker, Hazelwood and others.
• Demonstrating the importance of student journalistic responsibility to as important factors in maintaining and growing our democratic heritage through an empowering marketplace of ideas.
Educating school communities about these principles will show how schools should, and do, carry out their public responsibilities as nurseries of democracy
Read MoreNeed assistance with censorship issues? Press the
Panic Button
JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission (SPRC) established a first line of confidential intervention for those who feel they face censorship or just want legal or ethical advice about journalism decisions.
The Panic Button is an online reporting tool where advisers, students, administrators or community members can confidentially share their journalism situations or questions.
Read MoreUpgrade in Virginia policy downgrades student free expression
by John Bowen, MJE
High school journalists in Virginia’s Frederick County recently had their student publications policies upgraded by the school board, the Student Press Law Center reported.
Student journalists say they don’t think much of the changes.
“The newspaper was already censored multiple times last year, and the staff has dwindled from about 30 students a year ago to just 10 this fall,” co-editor Christian Hellwig told the SPLC reporter.
Read MoreWhen is free speech not so free?
by Candace Bowen, MJE
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
That may be a cliché, but it’s often spot on. And no more so than news lately of various orders and state legislation and school policies seeming to promote free speech. That’s a great idea, right?
Well, maybe not.
Read More