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
Censorship stories: Student newspaper-administrator quarrels ultimately end in student resignation
By Jimmy Hibsch, Rolling Meadows High School For the past year the Stevenson High School Statesman staff has not only been reporting the news, but it has also been making it. Last January, when former Features Editor Eunice Ro published an article about “hooking up,” administrators responded with harsh criticism. The article discussed the demise…
175 years later, still lessons to learn
I love that my mom and dad still send me actual clippings from our local newspapers when they think something will appeal to me. I also love that Mom, at age 76, has now made the leap to digital media and sends me links as well. The link she sent me Thursday from The Columbia…
Let the education start here
The Feb. 11 posting on CODEWORDS, the Society of Professional Journalists Ethics Committee blog, calls for “massive public education” about what constitutes “real news” and why such content is necessary for “an effective democracy.” Author Paul LaRocque points out the “period of change” media are now experiencing will not be over soon. But now is…
He called it ‘accidental plagiarism’
Gerald Posner’s resignation from The Daily Beast offers a good lesson about plagiarism. What happens when a journalist has LOTS and LOTS of notes and a tight deadline? Is it possible to forget which words are someone else’s and which are yours? More details and links about this appear on “A lesson in ‘accidental plagiarism’”…
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.