The Latest
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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…
How would you vote?
Along with an article reporting on censorship of a student newspaper at the Orange County School of the Arts, the Orange County Register ran a poll today: Should school administrators have the right to see an advanced copy of a student newspaper? The Register gave these options: • Yes, to correct factual errors and discuss…
Links to important scholastic media court cases
JEA members using the listserv this week were making a list of important scholastic media court cases. That list, or one like it, is on the Court cases page (see link at the top right of this page) – and with links to information about those cases. We hope you will find these cases and…
Avoiding Legal Problems, Step 1: Interview Notes Deadline
Student newspapers have two ways to avoid legal problems. Your students can never print anything controversial, creative or of interest to their readers, or you can teach your students how to write about controversy responsibly. This responsibility begins long before the story is printed. Having your editors check the interview notes of the reporters can…
It’s time to stand up
So with all of this recent hubbub surrounding President Obama’s speech about education, I’ve come to a conclusion: it has never been more important for teachers, journalism teachers in particular, to be adamant in making sure their voices are heard alongside and in opposition to those calling for speeches like the President – any President…
Digging for our credibility
In the ongoing discussion on the Obama education speech, one JEA member suggested the press provided too much of a platform for fringe opinions instead of balanced reporting. While that may be, I’d like to suggest something H. L. Hall always stresses as important: digging. All too often, in commercial media and in scholastic media…
Learning to check things out
There’s no political agenda here. Those leaning to the left and those leaning to the right both need to pay attention. This is about education and what we simply must be teaching our students about checking their facts and their sources. We used to teach students to be careful of what they used from the…
A Great Time of Reflection: two issues for discussion and reporting by student journalists
Two events are drawing a lot of commentary this week. They are also great starting points for classroom discussion and student media reporting beyond just giving opinions. One is whether the Associated Press should have published photos of a young Marine mortally injured along with a story about him and his mission. The other is…
Parents are the keys to saving J-programs
On Aug. 27th, I talked about the learning that is lost when J-programs are cancelled. But how do we save them or get them reinstated? Parents are the key. Administrators and school board members may not pay attention to teachers whose programs are threatened, but they certainly pay attention to parents. Parents of students in…