A pillar of strength: the Tinker decision
Mary Beth Tinker takes pictures at Kent State University’s May 4 Visitor’s Center of exhibits from the sixties. The center documents the era as its protests and time of anti-war expressiion foreshadowed the deaths of four Kent State students.
We realized as we were creating content ( see Lori Keekley’s blog) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tinker case, we have so much relevant material. Here are a few by category.
Read MoreNews vs public relations
Title
News vs. Public Relations
Description
The community gets information about what is happening at school through different publications, but not all of these publications are journalistic. In this lesson, students will differentiate between student reporting and school public relations by comparing and contrasting student publications with school public relations content such as newsletters, school-created magazines or school websites created and maintained by adults in the community.
Read MoreTrickling down hits the news room
by Stan Zoller, MJE
The Ronald Reagan presidency, if nothing else, introduced the United State to “trickle-down economics,” which was described as a method by which “… benefits for the wealthy trickle down to everyone else. These benefits are tax cuts on businesses, high-income earners, capital gains and dividends.”
It could be described that government edicts would, in the long run, be the rule of thumb for everyone.
Some pundits still debate the effectiveness of “trickle-down economics” even though Reagan’s eight years as president ended 29 years ago.
Old political stands die hard.
Under the current administration, journalists and journalism educators may be experience “trickle down journalism” in which the condescending attacks on journalism by the Trump Administration are trickling down to the general population.
For journalism educators, especially scholastic journalism educators, the trickle down may be hitting administrators.
Read MoreHandling sponsored content
Student media, when faced with publishing sponsored content, should act carefully and with the best interests of the audience/consumer first.
Although it is quite possible scholastic media will never face making a decision to run content known as sponsored or native ads, students and advisers should prepare guidelines just in case.
Sponsored content and native advertising, two media terms for paid materials, are becoming a fact of life for media and consumers. That said, student media, when faced with publishing them, should act carefully and with the best interests of the audience/consumer first.
Scholastic media owe it to their audiences to expect clearly sourced and non-slanted information, particularly with so much concern with fake news.
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Fighting self-censorship
Advisers should oppose student self-censorship, empower decision-making
Advisers and students should oppose attempts at both internal and external censorship. 
However, that does not equate with student media covering topics that lack journalistic merit or don’t satisfy a journalistic function. Students should journalistically examine and evaluate media content.
Social media post/question:
Why should advisers actively oppose censorship?
Stance:
Advisers and students should oppose internal and external censorship. This may include administrative, staff, faculty and even self-censorship. However, that does not equate with student media covering topics that lack journalistic merit or satisfy a journalism function. Students should journalistically examine and evaluate media content.
Reasoning/suggestions:
Journalism teachers must work to stem the tide of self-censorship.
In a survey administered to the NSPA/JEA convention at a recent JEA/NSPA convention, both students and advisers stated they experienced self-censorship. According to the survey, “39 percent of students and 32 percent of advisers said their staff had decided not to publish something based on the belief that school officials would censor it.”
This fear of censorship or of being disciplined for content shouldn’t occur. Advisers must work to educate their students and others about the problems of self-censorship in regard to topics that are journalistically and ethically sound.
A journalism teacher’s duties is in the job title — advise(r).
According to the JEA Adviser Code of Ethics, journalism advisers should, “Advise and mentor, rather than act as censor or decision-maker.” Teachers need to empower students to make content decisions and fight against student self-censorship.
If advisers censor students, they not only violate this code, they also teach students it is acceptable for a government entity to censor someone’s First Amendment rights. When public teachers function as employees of the government, that is exactly what we teach.
Resources:
Female High School Students Bear the Burden of Censorship, SPLC.org
Curing Hazelwoodpackage, SPRC
The Role of Student Media: Foundations Package, SPRC
SPLC resources, SPLC
Self Censorship is the Scariest of All, SPRC
Blog:
Advisers and students should oppose self-censorship (and other forms of staff censorship) and attempts administrative censorship. However, that does not equate with student media covering topics that lack journalistic merit or satisfy a journalism function. Students should journalistically examine and evaluate media content. See this blogon including controversial coverage.
If advisers censor students, they not only ignore JEA’s Adviser Code of Ethics, they are also teach students that it is acceptable for a government entity to censor someone’s First Amendment right. When public teachers are functioning as employees of the government, that is exactly what they are teaching.
While teachers shouldn’t be leading the fight for the students’ First Amendment rights, teachers can work to educate others in the building (other teachers, administrators, school board members and students) about students’ rights.
If a problem does occur, it is important for the teacher to take in union representation (if possible) and document the meeting. Also, ask for notes and written directives. If you don’t follow these directives, you could be seen as insubordinate.
Advisers who understand that educating others about the students rights are important may find it easier if a problem does exists. If the students already know they can reach out to the Student Press Law Center or hit JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee’s Panic Button, the teacher has empowered the students to fight this fight.
OR:
Every August I have the talk with my editors. It’s not about the proverbial birds and the bees, instead it’s about what to do and who to contact if someone attempts to censor their content.
The students receive the Student Press Law Center’s contact information and information about how to access and hit SPRC’s Panic Button.
A few years ago I also learned of a “secret” document that has been passed down from editor to editor since 2011. From what I’m told, the document outlines this information and states exactly what I can and can’t help with. It seems my students actually do want me to keep my job.
My students know that if a censorship situation occurs, I cannot help them. They have to be the ones to fight for their First Amendment rights. In fact, when my students filed a lawsuit during the spring of 2017, I didn’t know about it until I saw Echo’s tweet that the students had sued the school for access to hallway video of an alleged hijab pull. Later I learned they filed a Freedom of Information Act request without my knowledge, found their own pro bono attorney and I also suspect they have documents about this request I still have never seen.
During this process, I did know something was up. I would walk into the Echo room and everyone would get quiet. At times they would tell me to go fill my coffee mug or a student would ask if he or she could speak to me outside the publications room about something — and it really wasn’t anything that needed discussing. During all of this, my gut told me they were conspiring about something or planning a party. I just had to trust in whatever it was they were doing.
This experience of having to blindly trust the students was a good one for me. I know my students understand a First Amendment fight is not one I can or will wage. They have to take the initiative.
What I’ve learned through this is that I will continue to trust my students and continue to education them on their rights prior to a problem occurring. If students already know they can reach out to the Student Press Law Center or hit JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee’s Panic Button before a problem exists, the teacher has empowered the students to fight this fight.
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