The Latest
Face, fight and educate
those who would limit media
by John Bowen, MJE A Boston Globe article about its Aug. 16 campaign for media to speak out against President Donald Trump’s attacks on journalists called the president’s rhetoric ”alarming.”` “Whatever happened to the free press? Whatever happened to honest reporting,” the reporter quotes the president in an Aug. 2 political rally in Pennsylvania. “They…
Maybe #Firstonthefirst initiative can help move the needle
Maybe it was last night’s reflection on Anthony Kennedy’s final day serving as a Supreme Court justice. Or maybe it was because I’m still recovering from the latest State of the First Amendment survey. In case you missed it, more than one-third of the survey respondents (40 percent) could not name a single freedom guaranteed…
What is copyright?
When students violate copyright, they are stealing from the original copyright holder. This reference area provides information on what copyright and fair use are, provides guidelines and provides best practices and copyright free resources.
Campaign spotlights students’ work
that made a difference
SPRC members are reintroducing the Making a Difference campaign. This monthly posting will highlight students who have made a difference through their coverage. When your students create content that has a positive impact on your school or community, please fill out the submission form and we’ll tell you how to send your content. JEA Scholastic…
5 activities to consider before next fall
By John Bowen, MJE Looking for end-of-year activities to rebuild or revisit how your student media operate, the range and effectiveness of content, no matter the platform? Consider the following, either now at the end of the year or during summer staff retreats, to help students strengthen your program’s foundation.
End-of-the-year audit: whose voice made the cut?
By Kristin Taylor One of the highest callings of journalism is to “give voice to the voiceless.” As scholastic journalism classes begin to wrap up, it’s a good time for staffs to look back at the year to evaluate their coverage and see how fully they’ve met that goal. Before starting the process, I suggest…
Clickbait QT68
Guideline: Journalists should present relevant information in context so the audience has adequate information on which to base decisions. Context is just as important as factual accuracy and can help readers fully understand an issue and its relevance to their daily lives.
Importance of scale in visual reporting QT67
Guideline: Journalists must be vigilant in ensuring charts and infographics do not inaccurately depict the information nor should it mislead the reader. Be weary of data interpretations from others — especially those who benefit from the results.
Pursuit of accurate information clearly
part of scholastic journalism’s mission
To some administrators, it’s ‘curses, FOIA’ed again’ By Stan Zoller, MJE When a student journalist pursues a story and, as H.L. Hall would say, “digs” for information, most journalism educators would be pleased. And so too, you think, would administrators. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. In fact, it’s becoming more common for school czars…
Understanding FERPA QT66
Guideline: The school publication will follow the Family Educational Rights and PrIvacy Act (FERPA) as defined by the Student Press Law Center. Social media post/question: What information is protected under FERPA? Key Points/Action FERPA does limit the specific information schools can release about students, but it doesn’t restrict schools from releasing information in aggregate or…
Senior quotes, wills:
Can harm students, damage credibility QT65
Senior wills, April Fool’s issues and senior quotes 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. Senior quotes present too much potential for damage and turn over too much control of your student publications…
Circuit Court decisions support student freedoms QT 64
Quick Hits: Student First Amendment Rights Muzzle Hazelwood with strong journalism and status as a limited public forum. (Dean v. Utica Community Schools, 2004) The principal of Utica High School told the student newspaper, the Arrow, to cut an article by student journalist Katy Dean, as well as an accompanying editorial and an editorial cartoon….