Even high school reporters are facing censorship now
As teenage journalists deal with threats to their school newspapers, they’re calling in attorneys for back up
TL;DR
- Student journalists at Mountain View High School investigated and reported on on-campus sexual harassment, facing administrative pressure to self-censor and a subsequent backlash including the reassignment of their adviser and cuts to a journalism course.
- The Student Press Law Center (SPLC) and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (Fire) are assisting student journalists facing censorship, with calls to the SPLC's hotline increasing.
- Legal precedents like Tinker v. Des Moines protect student expression, while Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier allows schools more control over funded publications, though 'New Voices' laws in some states offer further protections.
- A student journalist at Gretna East High School had an editorial cartoon critical of ICE operations removed by administrators, who also attempted to censor his op-ed about the experience.
- These experiences are motivating young journalists to pursue careers in law or advocacy to protect press freedoms for students.
- Censorship in student press often involves sensitive topics such as protests against government actions, international conflicts, or criticisms of powerful individuals and institutions.