The Latest
Fighting off prior review
With examples of administrator censorship running rampant around the country, I thought it might be informative and helpful for other teachers, who may run into similar situations, to speak with a teacher who just successfully fought off censorship from the higher-ups at her school. Konnie Krislock has been teaching journalism since the late 1960s and…
Hello? Anyone out there?
When the JEA Scholastic Press Rights Commission chair* nudged that group into the blogosphere and encouraged its members to volunteer to post on certain days, I said, “Sure.” Writing I like. Writing means I’m not cleaning the kitchen or grading freshman orientation papers. Besides, the First Amendment soapbox is a good vantage point. But….is anyone…
Disturbing trends and a series worth reading
Even as some administrators name themselves editors of student publications, others try to use ethics as a guideline for punishment, adding another level to disturbing trends in scholastic journalism. This misuse of ethical standards in scholastic journalism is the focus on a three-part series by Kent State University graduate student Trevor Ivan at the Center…
Our Constitution is “America’s Best Idea”
My husband and I have been watching the PBS special entitled “Our National Parks, America’s Best Idea.” Obviously, they are not “America’s Best Idea,” but they are the result of the true best idea, a nation created by the people, of the people, for the people. Ken Burns’ wonderful documentary tells the history of the…
Let’s play a game? Who is the editor? And why?
Recent events in a Virginia school system could lead to a new game: Who is the editor? Over the summer school officials made the principal the editor of student publications and the adviser the co-editor. The school board followed recommendations of the Virginia School Boards Association. So now for some questions in the game: Q:…
The worst legal problem in scholastic media
“What’s the legal problem you fear the most?” That’s always the first writing assignment for JMC47003, the Teaching High School Journalism class at Kent State. Students are Integrated Language Arts majors….and most would rather die than teach journalism. The class is a requirement, but they see only Shakespeare and poetry in their futures. So what…
Thoughts on the future of scholastic journalism
What skills will citizens need in a future that requires deciphering information and communicating effectively? How can schools and their attitude towards the use of new and social media make a difference? As the journalism concepts we teach expand to include new and social media, will our “fourth estate” guidelines maintain a foothold in the…
National Punctuation Day: Commas combat censorship
It may not seem like National Punctuation Day has much to do with press rights, but before dismissing it as just a lot of dots and dashes and English-class concerns, think about it for a minute. First, some background…. Thursday, Sept. 24 is this year’s event, celebrated since 2004 when former newspaperman Jeff Rubin, as…
What Values? We ask again, and point to ethics lesson plans that could lead to answers
We continue to raise the question, borrowed partially from a recent ethics workshop at Kent State University: What Values? What value is there in prior review by anyone outside the student media staff? Even if administrators can claim some sort of legal allowance stating they can, what are the ethical and educational values indicating they…
Support for advisers
Today I attended a conference sponsored by my state organization the Washington Journalism Education Association. Students and advisers from all over the state met to listen to speakers and, most important, share ideas and discuss problems. Your state organizations as well as JEA are invaluable sources for advisers. In your school, you are one of…
What is your school doing for Constitution Day?
What is your school doing for federally-mandated Constitution Day tomorrow? Take a little time and use the comments below to give a shout out for your Constitution Day program. Let’s show everyone that schools do understand – and practice – the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. And where schools are…
If the arguments don’t work…
One of the law unit test questions in my Teaching High School Journalism course at Kent State goes something like this: “You want to convince your school principal your students SHOULD have more free expression rights. Explain ONE good argument you could give him or her.” (10 pts.) My hope is, if they graduate and…