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
And the number keeps growing
As much as we don’t want to see it or accept it, the number of student media being restrained grows rapidly. For instance: • In Boonville, Mo, the superintendent stopped distribution of The Pirate Press reportedly because the paper had not been reviewed as it was supposed to be. Coverage in the local paper did…
Social networking policies: Getting ahead of the curve
By Russell Hickey When the Washington Post recently announced new rules for the use of social media by editors and staff, it was met with some criticism. Last week, Howard Kurtz chronicled the reactions – both negative and positive. The full-text announcement sent to the Post staff was reprinted by paidContent. The policy behind the…
Fighting off prior review
With examples of administrator censorship running rampant around the country, I thought it might be informative and helpful for other teachers, who may run into similar situations, to speak with a teacher who just successfully fought off censorship from the higher-ups at her school. Konnie Krislock has been teaching journalism since the late 1960s and…
Hello? Anyone out there?
When the JEA Scholastic Press Rights Commission chair* nudged that group into the blogosphere and encouraged its members to volunteer to post on certain days, I said, “Sure.” Writing I like. Writing means I’m not cleaning the kitchen or grading freshman orientation papers. Besides, the First Amendment soapbox is a good vantage point. But….is anyone…
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.