Looking for your thoughts on what principals need to know about journalism
Suppose you were in the position to help administrators better understand journalism, its roles, its value and importance. What would you want to have available in the way of materials and information in the following areas:
• Certification and adviser training
• Curriculum
• Professional standards
• “Responsible journalism”
• Legal and ethical issues
• Newspaper/print journalism
• Yearbook journalism
• Broadcast journalism
• Online journalism
• Other
Help us put together packets for a major project to do just that. What worked with your administrators? What do you wish you had available?
Leave your comments here or open a discussion. We are looking for many points of view.
Read MoreA process for developing editorial policies that mean something
Editorial policies are among the most important documents advisers and their students will create. Done correctly, they will protect you and your students, your administrators and your school system against unwanted legal issues.
The first educational mission for all schools: To develop responsible citizens through enabling critical thinking and empowering student decision making.
Done incorrectly, policies will lead to such unwanted legal issues. Past experiences show sound policies are well worth the time and energy it takes to develop then.
Steps to develop policies include:
• Research
• Study
• Practice
Research
Search:
- The SPLC for policy models and articles about them
- The Internet for sample school policies
- The Internet for articles of the value of publications or editorial policies
- Provided links and articles from JEA’s Press Rights Commission, including JEA Model Policy and others
- Research data and academic studies for research into editorial policies
- Specific administration organization Web sites
- Search terms can include:
• Editorial policies
• Publications policies
• Staff policies
- Conduct interviews with those have are familiar with sound policies and those who have had issues with weaker ones. Some of the stronger policies can be found here .
Study
- Examine gathered material. What makes policies acceptable? Unacceptable?
- Based on readings or examination of a PowerPoint included on editorial policies, what topics or concepts need to be included in acceptable policies? Which ones should be avoided?
- Compile arguments for and against concepts and specific wording
- Evaluate selected points for strengths and weaknesses
- Outline acceptable policy sections and points. Reference models your work should be based on
- Evaluate your outline in separate groups and set up a process to complete the next steps
Practice
- Evaluate a draft policy for effectiveness and completeness
- Compare your draft policy with other student media policies
- Identify and communicate with scholastic media experts and legal experts about the effectiveness of the draft.
This process is a good start in the creation of or adaption of effective policies.
Journalism provides us with something unique to a culture – independent, reliable, accurate and comprehensive information that citizens require to be free. Anything else – from review to censorship – subverts democratic culture.
The Elements of Journalism
Kovach and Rosenstiel
First Amendment Award application available
We know there are a significant number of open forum student media out there, and we’d like to see you apply for JEA’s First Amendment Press Freedom Award (FAPFA).
Being an open forum for student expression, besides having exceptional educational validity and offering excellent learning opportunities for students, also can help protect a school system in cases of liability.
If you think your student media are forums, by policy or practice, then go here and download the application form for FAPFA. Application for the honor comes in two parts: the initial application of 25 questions for a media adviser and an administrator. Those meeting the criteria for the award will then receive a second application to be filled out by the principal, all student media editors and advisers. Deadline for applying is Dec. 1, 2009. Those meeting the final criteria will be recognized at the JEA/NSPA convention in Portland.
Good luck!
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