The Latest Archives

Are your student media forums for student expression? Let us know

The upcoming 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Hazelwood decision reminds us how important it is to have student media that are open forums for student expression either by school policy or by practice. Do they exist? We hope so…

Ethical Case Study: A lesson on the rules of
prior approval of quotes, content

by John Bowen The question of whether reporters should have to obtain prior approval of quotes is in the news again with NPR’s Morning Edition of Sept. 18. Here’s a lesson about involving students in that discussion on both commercial and scholastic levels.

Be sure to check out these views of FERPA

The Student Press Law Center has had two op-ed columns published over the past week that highlight the SPLC’s leadership role in promoting greater access to public information from colleges and schools. Check out these columns, follow the discussion possibilities and see how they could apply to scholastic media.

Constitution Day learning materials, part 2:
Journalism ethics hypotheticals

by Kelly Furnas In honor of Constitution Day, JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission provides these hypothetical ethical dilemmas for you and your staff to discuss and debate. Each answer is then discussed via video by a member of the SPRC once you have completed the quiz.

Constitution Day 2012 lessons

Constitution Day Lesson Plans for Sept. 17, 2012 The Scholastic Press Rights Commission works to provide information and resources on legal and ethical issues to journalism students, teachers and administrators. SPRC members also work to promote the First Amendment rights of students across the nation. It is a commission of the Journalism Education Association. Our…

Commission selects new 45Word student partners

JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission has selected its new class of Student Partners for the 45words initiative. Please join us in welcoming these outstanding students as they work as a team to spread First Amendment awareness and connect with high school journalists around the country.

Georgia student journalists walk out over content control. Are there lessons for scholastic journalists as well?

Student editors at the Red & Black, independent student newspaper of the University of Georgia, resigned this week to protest what they called concerns about the loss of student’s editorial authority. Might their situations be similar to scholastic media where advisers or administrators make decisions and dictate direction? Without trying to dictate the direction of…

The Social Media Toolbox

Expanding your student media into social media this year? The Social Media Toolbox might have the right tools.

Start the year by promoting journalism skills,
not just defending your programs

by Fern Valentine Sadly, many journalism advisers are having to defend their programs in an educational environment that concentrates on basic skills that are needed to pass national or state tests. However, employers interviewed across the country are looking for applied skills that they say are not found in most high school or even college…

Clicking ‘like’ on Facebook

By HL Hall Clicking “like” on Facebook is not protected by the First Amendment, according to U.S. District Judge Raymond Jackson’s April 30 ruling in Bland v. Roberts in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Virginia. Deciding what clicking “like” means played a role in Jackson’s decision in a case involving six individuals who said…

The importance of context: A lesson on ethics and editing

Last week, NBC officials bore the brunt of an outraged public when the Today Show played a poorly edited 9-1-1 tape from the Trayvon Martin shooting investigation. The tape, some argued, unfairly portrayed Zimmerman as racist. This lesson explores the ethics of proper editing as well as the journalistic mandate that context never be sacrificed…

Op/Ed Writing With An Ethics Twist: An In-Class Lesson

By Megan Fromm This lesson was inspired by the recent Twitterfest regarding Kansas high school student Emma Sullivan’s tweet about the governor during a trip to the capital. The lesson will take 30+ minutes, and students will need their own paper and pencil. Here are some links for background information on the incident, which will…