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…
Read MoreWhen Tragedies Happen, Teachers Are On: The Day After January 6th
The evening of Jan. 6, I spent time thinking about how to work with my journalism students the next day. There were so many different plans that I explored, and this is what I ended up with. I started with a letter that I read to them, which I will excerpt here. My default is…
Read MoreNeed assistance with censorship issues? Press the Panic Button
JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission (SPRC) established a first line of confidential intervention for those who feel they face censorship or just want legal or ethical advice about journalism decisions. The Panic Button. The Panic Button is an online reporting tool where advisers, students, administrators or community members can confidentially share their journalism situations or questions.…
Read MoreVoting and Media Coverage: the meaning of being a citizen in a troubled era
Election Day this year is of monumental importance whether it might be a person’s twentieth time to vote or another’s first. Given the pandemic that allows medical and health issues to impact political, social and economic phases of society, Nov. 3, 2020 will be a harbinger of things to come. As journalists, we have a…
Read MoreHate speech and its protection
by Cyndi Hyatt This fall’s upcoming presidential election has created a national climate where people are politically polarized, and their speech is often incendiary. Perhaps now is the perfect time to revisit with student journalists how speech is protected and unprotected, particularly with a focus on hate speech. My own students alerted me that hate speech…
Read MoreRemembering Rodney Lowe: Press rights are concept deserving every day practice
by Stan Zoller, MJE It’s a scene that has played out many times. An administrator prior reviews a publication. Adviser and staff bring the situation to light by contacting the Student Press Law Center (SPLC), JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee (SPRC) and other organizations. Before long, the situation ebbs – resolved or not – and life…
Read MoreBe proactive in educating your school administrators about student press rights
by Mitch Ziegler, MJE On a newspaper deadline night I was reading a story about a student’s trip to Jordan and the West Bank, which focused on her strong criticisms about how her family was treated by the Israelis who ran the border crossing. It was an opinion piece, which argued solely through description. Like…
Read MoreConstitution Day 2020
In a unique year featuring not only a world-wide pandemic but also mass protests, a presidential election and plenty of attempts at spreading misinformation, it’s as important as ever for students to understand their rights. Constitution Day, observed Sept. 17 each year, celebrates the signing of the United States Constitution, and provides a perfect opportunity…
Read MoreGagging students but not requiring masks
by Jan Ewell, MJE Hannah Watters, 15, suspended for five days, Wed. Aug. 5, for tweeting pictures of mostly maskless students in a crowded hallway at North Paulding High in Dallas, Ga, about an hour outside of Atlanta, is free to return to school Monday, Aug. 10. Friday, Aug. 7, she tweeted, “My school called…
Read MoreBasic lessons for teachers to use during online learning
by Lori Keekley, MJE Several members of the Scholastic Press Rights Committee developed some lessons for advisers to use with their journalism students. The lessons are intended to be asynchronous basic introductions. The goal is to introduce students to the content and provide resources they then can examine further. The lessons include information on the…
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