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
So say we all
Rushworth M. Kidder, founder of the Institute for Global Ethics, highlights an ethical process called the Potter Box in his book, How Good People Make Tough Choices. This process, first discussed by Ralph B. Potter in 1965, suggests four steps decision-makers should consider before making policy or taking action: • Consider the situation • Determine what…
More links to Minnesota censorship issue
You may have already heard about the censorship issue of the Knight Errant (the publication of Benilde-St. Margaret in Minnesota). To help you follow the situation, here are local media links: • This is the statement on the Knight Errant’s website by the principal. The original editorial and column can be seen here. • Minnesota Post • Minnesota Public…
First Amendment Press Freedom Award
If you and your students attended the JEA/NSPA convention this past week in KC, you are aware of the courageous fight some teachers and advisers wage against censorship. In some cases they kept their student media operating as designated forums for student expression or as practicing forums for student expression. Others still continue to fight…
Rethinking news values
We all emphasize the aspect of news values in our journalism programs: timeliness, conflict, consequence, proximity and more. Perhaps it is also time to update those values with a list of ethical news values for our scholastic media programs. The original news values, for the most part, say authors Philip Patterson and Lee Wilkins in…
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.