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
April Fools’ negatives outweigh positives,
usually don’t fulfill techniques of satire
Fabrication? Non-credible information? Misleading direct quotes? Seeking permission to quote from sources or asking them to approve information? Putting advisers into the position of making content decisions normally left to students? Is this the nightmare scholastic journalism advisers ultimately fear? It could just be students preparing for an April Fools’ issue. Although every major scholastic…
For those struggling to succeed,
don’t give up
By Kathy Schrier, MJE Scholastic Journalism Week is here, and again we acknowledge and celebrate the important role of the student media in our schools. We know of great schools boasting excellent journalism programs where student reporters are allowed to shine and are applauded in their school communities. Even if they are challenging authority or…
High School Students, Teachers
Experience Student Media Censorship
More than 25 years after the Supreme Court limited First Amendment protections for high school student journalists, a survey of students and media advisers attending a national scholastic journalism convention indicates censorship is a fact of life in many schools. Of the 5,506 students and teachers who attended the National High School Journalism Convention in…
Temper social media rights
with journalistic responsibility
By Tom Gayda I am a First Amendment fighter. I have long stood by supporting people’s rights to say and do what they want. But then came social media. There is a fine line between what is right and what is wrong sometimes. Sadly, with the never-ending onslaught of posts, likes and tweets, the notion…
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.