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Celebrate roles student news media can bring to a democratic society; honor, envision and practice free speech
JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee hopes to help you and your students celebrate their free speech rights this year. Constitution Day, observed on Sept. 17 each year in commemoration of the signing of the United States Constitution, is an excellent time to do it. This year we provide lesson materials ranging from exploring impactful, recent…
Mahanoy School District v. B.L. decision bolsters democracy’s roots, future
While words shared in anger in off-campus speech by an unhappy student might not seem to have lasting democratic value, they do. Expressing them and other views provides foundation for our marketplace of ideas, and reaffirms protection for unpopular and unpleasant ideas. In Mahanoy School District v. B.L., The U. S. Supreme Court decided 8-1…
The fight for First Amendment rights has escalated
Needless to say, a staple in any beginning journalism course is (or should be) understanding the First Amendment. Many educators go to great lengths, and rightfully so, to make sure their students know the five freedoms guaranteed (religion, speech, press, assembly, petition). The 45 words are engrained in our, and hopefully our student’s, heads from…
B.L. v. Mahanoy: A New Case in Scholastic Journalism Law
WATCH ORAL ARGUMENTS OF THIS CASE ON C-SPAN APRIL 28, 2021. In what may be the most pivotal case regarding student free expression in more than a decade, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided in B.L. v. Mahanoy Area School District that administrators may not regulate off-campus speech by students if it does not cause disruption of…
Avoiding copyright issues and staying safe when using photos and other content
Having problems getting appropriate photos to accompany stories? What about possible copyright issues that could arise from using these photos? Here’s some information that may be useful. A great guide about uncertainty in using photos: When in doubt, don’t. Get written permission before using. With that said, there are times when Fair Use applies. For questions about using…
Elections may be over, but not the responsibility
In many states, communities recently elected or re-elected candidates to a multitude of government bodies from city council to township trustees to school boards. Sadly, voter turnout in local elections is traditionally low – very low – as people are as about as interested in their local officials as a chocoholic is in vanilla. From…
After 234 years, Hamilton’s words remain spot on
When Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers in 1787, odds are more than pretty good that scholastic journalism wasn’t on their minds. Safe bet. In one of the 51 essays he wrote, Hamilton noted that “…A government continually at a distance and out of sight can hardly be expected to…
Student Press Freedom Day: This year’s theme is Journalism Against the Odds
Student Press Freedom Day is February 26. This year’s theme is Journalism Against the Odds – how fitting for the bulk of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. Last March who could have predicted the unfolding of a global pandemic closing high schools and colleges, cutting students off from campuses and classrooms, classmates and school…
New Voices Laws may bring new challenges
As the pandemic lingers and school districts ping-pong back and forth between at-home learning, in-school learning and hybrid learning, one thing hasn’t changed. Laws governing student expression. Fourteen states already have laws that protect the First Amendment rights of student journalists and, reports the Student Press Law Center, laws have been introduced or reintroduced in…
Questioning Authority
Fallout from the 2020 election expands into a second impeachment trial. Mobs attack the Capital raising charges of unAmerican activity and sedition. Questions of whether not wearing masks and large groups partying extend our national pain of a nearly year-old pandemic. It is certain scholastic media will address plenty of issues. Just recently Facebook and…
January 6: Reporting on mobs, coup, insurrection, protest, riot, patriots
While JEA condemns attack on the Capitol Jan. 6, it also urged journalism teachers and advisers to continue facilitating fact-based journalism, especially of locally-related issues. To help students and advisers with that coverage, The SPRC highlights information and ideas that can assist in exploring current events or national issues. JEA commended journalism educators, president Sarah…
Questioning Authority: Covering Jan 6th
Journalists must no longer share just the what. We must provide the WHY It’s not just what we tell people. It’s more than ever the WHYords are powerful. And teachable moments are a gift. No one knows that better than journalism teachers. So, when crowds descended on the Capitol Wednesday (note the words I…