Press Rights
JEA stands firmly behind student journalists’ press freedom. Where journalism students delve into the impact of such events as the invasion of the Capitol Jan. 6 and issues stemming from it, they create community engagement and understanding of journalistic responsibility, roles and values. Where the same students make final decisions of content without prior review and restraint, democracy’s ideals flourish and expand. We denounce all efforts to stifle student journalists, and we stand in solidarity with advisers who support them.
Constitution Day is Sept. 17
2025 Theme: Power to the People
The Scholastic Press Rights Committee has put together a set of activities and materials around the 2025 theme "Power to the People" for teachers to use in their classrooms this Constitution Day, Sept. 17. They range from full lesson plans to quick activities and ways to promote Constitution Day in your school community.
Press Rights Quick Links
Prior Review | Law-Ethics Manual | Key Cases | What Are Ethics | Tools of Truth
Student reporting faces ‘fake news’ charges
as it tries to bring light to hiring process
Sunshine Week celebrates use of public records Reporting done by a repeat recipient of scholastic journalism’s First Amendment Press Freedom Award faces charges of “fake news”as it tries to gather information about the private hiring process of a new principal. According to a New York Times article, “Students working on the school newspaper, The Classic, filed a Freedom of…
Mark Schlefer and the
Federal Freedom of Information Act
by Nancy A. Olson, CJE Mark Schlefer helped to make history. Schlefer was one of the three lawyers who drafted the legislation that became the federal Freedom of Information Act, and he helped to guide it through Congress to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s desk. Johnson signed the bill into law on July 4, 1966, to…
JEA is proud to sign
Statement in Support of Freedom of the Press
“In the First Amendment the Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors. The Government’s power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the government.” …
On-site training program available
JEA is entering the second year of its partner project in partnership with the National Scholastic Press Association to deliver on-site training to journalism programs in need. All journalism teachers and their students deserve support and training regardless of factors like location, funding and available resources. The National High School Journalism Convention offers fantastic programming for attendees, but the…
Need help with a censorship issue? You found it.
If you are a JEA member or students of a JEA member who need assistance concerning censorship issues, use the panic button below to generate an online form to explain your situation. This will go to a Scholastic Press Rights Committee member who will assist you quickly and notify others in your state so they can offer assistance. This outreach capability is a direct result of JEA’s Adviser Assistance Program and is designed to combat censorship issues advisers and students might face.