The Latest Archives

Takedown demands:
Setting criteria before the requests come
An ethics lesson

Takedown Demands: Setting Criteria before the requests come by John Bowen Description When the requests come for your staff to take down materials already published either in print or online, what criteria will you use to make the decision – and why? Students will examine the following questions: • What are Takedown Demands? • What…

Getting your editorial policy
the right way

by Candace Perkins Bowen, MJE Part 1 of a 2-part blog on teacher plagiarism and copyright issues Teachers can be the world’s worst thieves without ever meaning to be. We’ve all done it — sometimes out of panicked need, sometimes out of ignorance, sometimes because we think our classroom is some sort of copyright-free zone….

Noteworthy this week in support of student expression

With Constitution Day (Sept. 17) and its Congressional mandate to teach a lesson on constitutional issues, the press rights commission would like to highlight a couple of points: • NCTE released a statement, NCTE Beliefs about Students’ Right to Write, that could lead to lessons and discussion. • Fond du Lac High School in Wisconsin…

Fond du Lac gets new policy,
content in hands of students, adviser

Students at Wisconsin’s Fond du Lac High have a new editorial policy this fall after a spring and summer of working to reach compromise that would end prior review and restraint. Reporter Sharon Roznik wrote in the local fdlreporter the board of education would support guidelines that give the “final decision-making process for publication ‘lies with the editors-in-chief…

Facing ethical yearbook issues? Some thoughts

by Mary Kay Downes The very nature of a yearbook being the permanent record of the year presents numerous issues which primarily have to do with the permanency of the book. Yearbooks live forever! Often yearbooks are viewed as a public relations tool of the school, and the administration and/or community are reluctant to have…

Who owns student-produced content?

Scenario: Student journalists have just completed their first converged media assignments and are just about ready for publication across the various platforms. Several indicate they think their work is good enough to share with other groups.Can they legally or ethically do that with repercussion? By Mark Goodman The question of who owns the copyright of…

The R-Word and the WaPo

by Matt Schott August 22, the Washington Post editorial board decided to no longer use the term Redskins in its editorials (I believe it will live on in the sports and news sections). This is a decision that seems to be pretty roundly lauded, particularly by Native American groups who’ve been fighting for this change for…

Instead of removing students from the solution, administrators should empower them to figure it out

What’s best for students? We return to that essential question constantly as decision-makers in every realm of education. In the “yearbook yikes” dilemma featured in this month’s Ethical Educator column in School Administrator magazine, the solutions address what may be best for one student but fail to mention what’s best for many others. Where are the student editors…

Welcome back – here’s a look
at what to expect in the coming weeks

As we all head back to school, look for some new content in the next week: • An article focusing who who owns scholastic media content and choices to establish best approach for students • An article discussing points of questions involving yearbook ethics • A first look at a Policy Package to will help staffs decide what they…

Updates on scholastic issues across the nation

Several events in the world of scholastic journalism – and that affects it – occurred recently. Censorship issues have not taken a summer break: • Both good and bad news exist for two publications in NJ. First the good news. John Wodnick, the adviser of the Allendale , NJ newspaper, said. “Thought you should know– the censored…

‘You have the power to IMPROVE the world,
not just change it’ are words worth noting

by Stan Zoller Sometimes it’s difficult to see the forest through the trees. Or perhaps we spend a lot of time preaching to the choir. Take your pick. As journalism educators, we know about the problems we face handling student media. So when someone from “the outside” addresses them, it’s a breath of fresh air….

Current First Amendment issues worth noting

Looking for discussion starters for the end of school? For the latest on three nationally ongoing censorship issues, check out: Fond du Lac, WI • Cardinal Columns: Filthy administrative minds, “dangerous advice” and the persistent kids of Cardinal Columns http://www.first-draft.com/2014/05/cardinal-columns-filthy-administrative-minds-dangerous-advice-and-the-persistent-kids-of-cardinal-co.html • They’re still censoring the Cardinal Columns FYI – now deny seniors a final issues…