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
Promoting scholastic press rights legislation: A Blueprint for Success
Thursday, Feb 22 INTRODUCTION Educate, advocate, empower: The mission of JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee is clear, active and powerful – the same traits we look for in successful school journalism programs. As the committee looked to put its mission into action, it worked to honor requests from a number of advisers across the country…
Scholastic Journalism Week: A chance to showcase your voices. Updated daily
Scroll down to see today’s post Student voice, student choice. JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee works to promote this theme of the 2018 Scholastic Journalism Week. We’ll take the week to highlight some SPRC materials daily. Monday, teachers who are looking for some last-minute lesson plans to fit with the theme of embracing students’ First…
Keeping ads and content separate QT50
Student journalists should maintain a wall between promotional/paid content and journalistic content. That historical wall should remain intact to help reassure audiences the content they receive is as thorough and complete as possible. As Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel say in The Elements of Journalism, journalists’ first loyalty is to the truth while maintaining an…
Consider emotional impact as well as news values
when choosing images QT49
Censorship should not be an option by Kristin Taylor When the editors of the Panther Prowler, the student-run school newspaper for Newbury Park High School, decided to write a feature article about teenagers having sex in 2015, they knew it was going to be controversial. The controversy wasn’t just about the content of the article,…
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.