Which States May Pass New Voices in 2025
Pennsylvania is making significant strides in its pursuit of New Voices legislation. It joins five other states with active bills in their state legislatures. As states gear up for their legislative sessions, a handful of New Voices teams have introduced (or reintroduced) bills to protect student journalists’ free speech rights. Eighteen states have passed New…
Read MoreAmerica is…
“The one thing that I think is vital — our most important obligation,” Mark Goodman, former Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center and of the Center of Scholastic Journalism at Kent State University, said. “We HAVE to teach students that censorship is wrong, morally, educationally, journalistically, even when it cannot be avoided or…
Read MoreIs the school board one of your beats? Part 2
Here’s why it should be and how to do it right Part 2 – What makes it challenging legally and ethically This three-part blog has it all: an explanation of the need for good coverage of school board issues, the legal and ethical concerns for this reporting, and the writing skills to effectively tell your…
Read MoreIs the school board one of your beats? Part 1
Here’s why it should be and how to do it right Part 1 – Why covering school boards is important This three-part blog has it all: an explanation of the need for good coverage of school board issues, the legal and ethical concerns for this reporting, and the writing skills to effectively tell your audience…
Read MoreA four part blog: News deserts
Part 2 of 4 My original blog idea started as a simple little suggestion to encourage high school student journalists to cover school board meetings and educational topics in communities without commercial media – those rural and urban areas considered news deserts. But it’s grown much bigger than that. These will be the weekly installments…
Read MoreFrom Ai to book banning and news deserts, Constitution Day empowers journalistic thinking
JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee wants to help you and your students celebrate their free speech rights this year. Constitution Day, observed Sept. 17 yearly in commemoration of the signing of the United States Constitution, is an excellent time to explore and discuss the status of the Constitution in today’s USA. Bringing help to news…
Read MoreA message from Marion: Attacks on press freedom have no limits
The next time you’re grousing because an administrator wants to review a story or, worse yet, an entire issue of your student publication, think of Eric Meyer. And what the heck, think of Joan Meyer too. Do the names ring a bell? Hopefully, but sadly, they should. Eric Meyer is the editor and publisher of…
Read MoreWest Virginia makes it 17 New Voices states
West Virginia became the seventeenth state to pass New Voices legislation March 23. The new law, The Student Journalist Press Freedom Act, goes into effect June 9, 2023. In a March 24 press release, the Student Press Law Center indicated a key part of the law ensures that high school and college students determine the…
Read MoreWhen the New Voices Law becomes a liabullyity
Victory is sweet. Whether on the football field, baseball field, soccer field or in the legislature. It’s always great to win one for the ‘Gipper’ – or whomever. When it comes to New Voices laws, the victors are student journalists. In those states where New Voices laws have been passed, scholastic journalism programs are experiencing…
Read MoreMake time for the First Amendment
December is a busy month, I know. And things still feel slower and more difficult than our pre-pandemic student media operations. But that’s all the more reason to invest the time to discuss and apply for the First Amendment Press Freedom Award before the Dec. 15 deadline. Don’t underestimate your eligibility or feel like you “haven’t done…
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