Who we are

Article I: Name of Organization
The name of this organization shall be the Journalism Education Association.

Article II: Purpose of the Organization
The Journalism Education Association exists to protect and enhance scholastic journalism education.

Article III: Membership

Section 1: Eligibility
JEA shall have both individual (teacher/adviser, administrator/non-teacher, associate, college student) and organizational (institutional and affiliate) memberships.

a. Teacher/adviser members shall be (1) media advisers and educators of public, private and parochial schools, community colleges, schools or departments of journalism in universities or teachers’ colleges; (2) emeritus teachers/advisers unless their primary employment involves sales and services to schools; (3) lifetime members; (4) the director or officer on record for affiliated state, regional or national scholastic press associations or student collegiate chapters.
b. Associate members shall be professionals involved in scholastic journalism not otherwise defined in this section.
c. College student members shall be majoring or minoring in journalism, education or related fields.
d. Institutional members shall be (1) all public and private libraries; (2) departments of journalism in colleges and universities; (3) commercial press associations, book, yearbook, magazine or newspaper publishers; (4) all firms, organizations and agencies engaged in the development or sales of software, graphic arts, advertising or media production; (5) other professional media; (6) educational or philanthropic foundations.
e. Affiliate members shall be state, regional or national scholastic press or adviser associations or student collegiate chapters.
f. Administrator/non-teacher members shall be such people as (1) school superintendents; (2) curriculum specialists; (3) principals (4) assistant principals (5) librarians (6) CTE coordinators (7) other educators who are not classroom teachers of public, private and parochial schools, community colleges, schools or departments of journalism in universities or teachers’ colleges.

Section 2: Dues
The board of directors, by a majority vote, shall have the authority to set annual dues for each membership category. Non-payment of dues or other charges may be grounds for suspension of any member. Membership covers one calendar year from the month dues are received.

Article IV: Board of Directors
Voting members of the board of directors shall consist of the president, vice president, scholastic press rights director, educational initiatives director and three directors-at-large.

Section 1: Officers
Officers of the association shall consist of the president, vice president, and the executive director.
a. The president shall preside at all meetings and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the board of directors are put into effect. The president shall supervise headquarters staff and the board of directors in the implementation of general policies.
b. The vice president shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be assigned by the president and/or the board of directors. In the absence or disability of the president, the vice president shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the president.
c. The executive director shall be the association’s chief administrative officer. The executive director shall have powers and perform duties assigned by the president and/or the board of directors.

Section 2: Directors
It is the duty of the directors to carry out the programs and projects of the organization under the direction of the president.

Directors shall not serve in any type of voting or executive leadership capacity for a local, state, regional or national press association and must resign such roles before their elected term with JEA begins. Candidates must notify the nominations chair of all existing leadership roles and potential conflicts before the election slate is finalized.

Article V: Elections, Appointments and Removals

Section 1: Elections
The president, vice president and directors shall be elected to two-year terms and shall serve no more than two consecutive terms in the same capacity. After two consecutive terms, the individual may run again for a different office or may run for the same office again in two years. Appointed positions are two-year commitments with no term limits.

To qualify for an office, a candidate must be a teacher/adviser member in good standing and be presented by the nominations chair or be placed in nomination by any voting member at the general membership meeting when the slate is offered. Terms of office will begin May 1 of each election year.

Voting members are teachers/advisers as defined in Article III, Section 1 and current as of Jan. 15. Individuals are restricted to a single vote per election cycle. The vote will take place over a 10-day period each February.

a. The general membership shall elect all board positions.
b. Members of the board of directors shall name a secretary after May 1. The secretary need not be an elected member of the board of directors and will not vote nor be considered an organization officer if not a member of the board. The secretary shall keep an accurate record of all regular general information and board meetings and shall perform such additional duties as are incident to the position and any other duties the president and/or board of directors may assign.

Section 2: Office Vacancies

In case of death or resignation, inability to perform the functions of a board member, or disqualification from the board, the president shall appoint a new board member. The appointment of the board member-designate shall be of such length as to fill the remainder of the unfulfilled board term. Should the office of the president be vacated by death, resignation, removal or otherwise, the vice president shall assume the position. In the absence or disability of both the president and vice president, the board of directors shall elect by two-thirds vote an existing board member to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the president.

A member of the board of directors may step down at any time with a written letter of resignation to the president.

Section 3: Removal from Office

Members of the board of directors of the association may be removed or suspended for cause at any time by a two-thirds vote of the board of directors. Appointees of the president may be removed by her or him at any time or by a two-thirds vote of the board of directors.

Article VI Meetings

Section 1: Board Meetings

The board shall meet at least twice annually at such time and place as designated by the board. A quorum for the board of directors shall consist of a simple majority of the board.
a. The board will give 72-hour notice of any meeting.

Section 2: General Membership Meetings

a. A general membership meeting shall be held at all national conventions and is open to all.
b. All regular JEA members attending a general membership meeting shall each have one vote. A vote on non-budgetary items may be called for by the president either by voice, show of hands or ballot. Budgetary motions made at the general membership meeting must be approved by the board of directors.

Section 3: Virtual Meetings

The board may conduct virtual meetings. The president will determine the length and manner of virtual meetings. Asynchronous virtual meetings may be called only by the president, who will establish rules concerning the time and manner of the discussion and voting. The board will discuss the motion for the predetermined and limited length of time, after which the motion cannot be amended. Motions introduced at asynchronous virtual meetings can be passed only with approval of two-thirds of the board.

Article VII: Committees, Liaisons and Editors

Terms of office for all the following commence May 1 of each election year. They are appointed and can be removed by the president for due cause. All committee members, liaisons and editors must be JEA members in good standing.

Section 1: Standing Committees

Standing committees shall be Digital Media, Certification, Awards and Nominations. Standing committee chairs are appointed by and responsible to the president. The president shall select the committee chair and may select committee members or delegate the responsibility to the chair.

Section 2: Special Committees

Special committees may be appointed by the president and do not require approval of the board of directors. Such committees shall be directly responsible to the president or his or her designee. The president shall select the committee chair and may select committee members or delegate the responsibility to the chair. Subcommittees may be appointed by any board member and shall be directly responsible to that board member and do not require board approval.

Section 3: Liaisons

Liaisons may be appointed by the president to create a link between JEA and other organizations. Such liaisons shall be directly responsible to the president and do not require approval of the board of directors.

Section 4: Editors

Editors of JEA’s magazine shall be appointed by and directly responsible to the executive director with approval from the president. Editors serve without term limits and may be removed from the publication for cause by the executive director. An editor may step down at any time with a written letter of resignation.

Section 5: Contests

JEA’s contest chair shall be appointed by and directly responsible to the executive director with the approval of the president. The contest chair will oversee the National Student Media Contests, the Junior High/Middle School National Media Contest and the National Journalism Quiz Bowl. The contest chair may appoint coordinators to assist with these duties with the approval of the executive director. The chair will serve without term limits and may be removed from the position for cause by the executive director. The chair may step down at any time with a written letter of resignation and transition plan for future contests.

Article VIII: State Directors

Section 1: Qualifications

State directors must be teacher/adviser JEA members. Each state and the District of Columbia will have one state director. They shall be appointed by the vice president.

Section 2: Removal from Office

State directors may be removed from office upon the request of the vice president.

Article IX: Rules of Order

The president shall be allowed to speak to and vote on all motions. All other rules shall be those contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, most recent copyrighted edition.

Article X: Bylaw Amendment

These bylaws may be amended or new bylaws may be adopted by a majority vote of the board of directors at any meeting. A 10-day notice must be given to the board of specifically worded changes desired, unless the vote by the board is unanimous to approve a change. No action shall be taken that would in any way adversely affect the association’s qualifications under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or any successor thereto.

Vision Statement

The Journalism Education Association is a dynamic, adviser-focused organization serving a diverse media community. To develop and support effective media advisers, JEA must protect scholastic press and speech freedoms of advisers and their students; provide an environment that attracts, develops and retains the best educators in the profession; build diversity at the scholastic and professional levels; promote and demonstrate educational use of the latest technologies, and provide innovative, consistent and quality services.

Statement on Student Free Expression

To address current negativity toward news media in general and misunderstanding of its roles in a democracy, the Journalism Education Association reiterates its principles and practices that nourish a lifelong commitment for a vibrant and flourishing democracy.

We strongly believe free student expression as taught and practiced in journalism classes anchors successful scholastic media. So empowered, our programs showcase the importance of news and media literacy, civic engagement, critical thinking and decision-making as the core of lifelong involvement in a democracy.

To protect our democracy and its principles:

• JEA reaffirms its position that the practice of journalism is an important form of public service to prepare students as engaged, civic-minded citizens who are also discerning information creators and users.
• JEA will recognize, promote and support strong editorial policies with each media outlet as a designated public forum for student expression where students make all final content decisions without prior review or restraint.
• JEA will encourage all journalism teachers and advisers to strongly encourage diversity, accuracy and thoroughness in content so student media reflect and make sense to communities they serve.
• JEA will produce sample editorial policies and accompany them with model ethical guidelines and staff manual procedures that enhance and implement journalistically responsible decisions across media platforms.
• JEA will encourage journalism teachers and media advisers, even if they must teach and advise under prior review or restraint, to recognize how educationally unsound and democratically unstable these policies and rules are.
• JEA will insist student free expression not be limited by claims related to program funding or equipment use. Instead, journalism programs should showcase student civic engagement and practice democratic principles no matter what media platform is used.
• JEA will demonstrate, to communities in and out of school, through its actions, policies, programs and budgeting, its commitment to an informed, vibrant nation where free expression is expected and practiced as part of our diverse American heritage.

Additionally, we believe groups we partner with and endorse should faithfully support principles of free student expression for student media.

The Journalism Education Association is the largest scholastic journalism organization for teachers and advisers. We monitor and actively defend First Amendment and scholastic press rights issues across the country. Put simply, we educate teachers on how to educate students.

We fulfill this goal through numerous activities: We provide training around the country at national conventions and institutes. We offer national certification for teaching high school journalism. We publish print and online resources on the latest trends in journalism education. We provide avenues for virtual discussion among teachers, as well as communities and mentoring to learn best practices.

Directives: Share this with sister organizations, partners and related groups/organizations.

Approved by JEA Board of Directors
April 6, 2017, Seattle

Prior Review

The Journalism Education Association, as the nation’s largest association of scholastic journalism educators and secondary school media advisers, denounces the practice of administrative prior review as serving no legitimate educational purpose. Prior review leads only to censorship by school officials or to self-censorship by students with no improvement in journalistic quality or learning.

Better strategies exist that enhance student learning while protecting school safety and reducing school liability.

School administrators provide leadership for just about every dimension of schools. They set the tone and are crucial in a meaningful educational process. Undeniably, administrators want their schools’ graduates to be well-educated and effective citizens. Often, school or district missions statements state this goal explicitly. JEA supports them in that effort.

So, when the Journalism Education Association challenges the judgment of administrators who prior review student media, it does so believing better strategies more closely align with enhanced civic engagement, critical thinking and decision-making.

Prior review by administrators undermines critical thinking, encourages students to dismiss the role of a free press in society and provides no greater likelihood of increased quality of student media. Prior review inevitably leads to censorship. Prior review inherently creates serious conflicts of interest and compromises administrator neutrality, putting the school in potential legal jeopardy.

Without prior review, administrators retain better strategies that support journalism programs. Such approaches include:

• Working with students cooperatively to be good sources for stories
• Hiring qualified advisers and journalism teachers
• Building trust in the learning and communication process in a way that also lessens liability concerns of the school system
• Offering feedback after each publication
• Increasing dialogue among school staff and students, thus encouraging outlets of expression that strengthens school safety
• Expanding school and community understanding and appreciation of the value of free – and journalistically responsible – student media
• Providing necessary resources to support and maintain publication programs, including financial support, master schedule preferences, development opportunities and time

These strategies, and others listed below can enhance the influence of administrators without intruding on student control of their media as outlined by court decisions and the First Amendment.

Administrators can and should:

• Foster appreciation for America’s democratic ideals by inspiring students and their advisers to practice democratic principles through free student media
• Hire the most qualified educator to teach and advise or help one without solid journalism background become more knowledgeable. This allows the educator to provide training so students can better become self-sufficient as they make decisions and practice journalism within the scope of the school’s educational mission and the First Amendment
• Trust and respect their advisers, their student media editors and staff as the students make decisions
• Maintain dialogue and feedback to protect and enhance student expression, to afford students real input in the process, and to broaden their opportunities to excel

Teachers and advisers can and should:

• Model standards of professional journalistic conduct to students, administrators and others
• Emphasize the importance of accuracy, balance and clarity in all aspects of news gathering and reporting
• Advise, not act as censors or decision makers
• Empower students to make decisions of style, structure and content by creating a learning atmosphere where students will actively practice critical thinking and decision-making
• Encourage students to seek other points of view and to explore a variety of information sources in their decision-making
• Ensure students have a free, robust and active forum for expression without prior review or restraint
• Show trust in students as they carry out their responsibilities by encouraging and supporting them in a caring learning environment

Student journalists can and should:

• Apply critical thinking and decision-making skills as they practice journalistic standards and civic responsibility
• Follow established policies and adopt new ones to aid in thorough, truthful and complete reporting using a range of diverse and credible sources
• Seek the advice of professionally educated journalism advisers, teachers and other media resources
• Maintain open lines of communication with other students, teachers, administrators and community members
• Operate media that report in verbal and visual context, enhancing comprehension and diverse points of view
• Develop trust with all stakeholders – sources, adviser, administration and fellow staffers

JEA Board of Directors
Adopted April 16, 2009

Position statement on photo manipulation

Given the rapid growth brought about by photo-manipulation software and the reliance scholastic journalism programs are placing on them, the Journalism Education Association urges students and advisers to follow these principles:

Advisers of student media should not make decisions about the suitability or legality of images in question. Instead, advisers should empower students to make such decisions and to counsel students to avoid deceptive practices in all aspects of publication work. Advisers should also counsel students to seek professional legal advice in all legal and ethical questions.

Students working on publications should consider the following tests devised by University of Oregon professors Tom Wheeler and Tim Gleason about "whether and how to manipulate, alter or enhance" images:

1. THE VIEWFINDER TEST: Does the photograph show more than what the photographer saw through the viewfinder?
2. THE PHOTO-PROCESSING TEST: A range of technical enhancements and corrections on an image after the photo is shot could change the image. Do things go beyond what is routinely done in the darkroom to improve image quality-cropping, color corrections, lightening or darkening?
3. THE TECHNICAL CREDIBILITY TEST: Is the proposed alteration not technically obvious to the readers?
4. THE CLEAR-IMPLAUSIBILITY TEST: Is the altered image not obviously false to readers?
5. If any of the above tests can be answered "yes," JEA urges student journalists to:
   • not manipulate news photos
   • not publish the image(s) in question, or
   • clearly label images as photo-illustrations when student editors decide they are the best way to support story content.

Internet freedom of expression

The Journalism Education Association has always believed students involved in print media should enjoy freedom of expression. As an extension of that, JEA also believes student use of the Internet should be free from prior review, restraint and other hindrances preventing free expression.

In particular, JEA:

• endorses the Student Press Law Center's revised Model Publication Guidelines that include statements on use of the Internet and urges journalism programs and school systems to adopt the SPLC model;
• joins with the Internet Free Expression Alliance in working to ensure the Internet is a forum for open, diverse and unimpeded expression;
• strongly opposes the use of filters or blocking software that interfere with the legitimate gathering or authoring of information protected by the First Amendment and recent Supreme Court decisions. All current blocking and filtering software consistently has been shown to restrain more than unprotected speech, taking from educators valid educational decision making and often giving it to unknown parties with unknown rationale;
• recommends communications teachers assist administrators, parents, students and others in their understanding the importance of free expression on the Internet;
• urges teachers, advisers and students to be fully informed of their rights in use of the Internet, Web sites and acceptable use policies; and
• urges communications teachers and advisers to be the leaders in the shaping of their systems' Internet policies and decision making.

Internet free expression alliance mission statement

The Internet Free Expression Alliance will work to:

• ensure the continuation of the Internet as a forum for open, diverse and unimpeded expression and to maintain the vital role the Internet plays in providing an efficient and democratic means of distributing information around the world;
• promote openness and encourage informed public debate and discussion of proposals to rate and/or filter online content
• identify new threats to free expression and First Amendment values on the Internet, whether legal or technological;
• oppose any governmental effort to promote, coerce or mandate the rating or filtering of online content;
• protect the free speech and expression rights of both the speaker and the audience in the interactive online environment;
• ensure that Internet speakers are able to reach the broadest possible interested audience and that Internet listeners are able to access all material of interest to them;
• closely examine technical proposals to create filtering architectures and oppose approaches that conceal the filtering criteria employed, or irreparably damage the unique character of the Internet; and
• encourage approaches that highlight "recommended" Internet content, rather than those that restrict access to materials labeled as "harmful" or otherwise objectionable, and emphasize that any rating exists solely to allow specific content to be blocked from view may inhabit the flow of free expression.

Use of media evaluations in adviser assessment

The JEA board passed this resolution unanimously on Nov. 19, 2004

Whereas the Journalism Education Association supports free and responsible scholastic journalism and promotes professionalism and excellence among its 2,300 members;

Whereas the JEA believes the media adviser's role is many-faceted and includes but is not limited to modeling standards of professional journalistic conduct and empowering students to learn and grow as they make decisions of style, structure, presentation and content;

Whereas the JEA values free, robust and uncensored student expression and encourages advisers to create a learning atmosphere where students actively practice critical thinking and decision making;

Whereas the JEA views the process of journalism practices and production to be as valuable to the educational mission as the product students create;

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Journalism Education Association encourages administrators at all levels of educational institutions served by student media to seek evaluation tools for their advisers that use methods for assessing an adviser's performance.

Definition of prior review

The JEA board passed this definition 8-5 on April 15, 2010

Prior review occurs when anyone not on the publication/media staff requires that he or she be allowed to read, view or approve student material before distribution, airing or publication.

Prior restraint occurs when someone not on the publication/media staff requires pre-distribution changes to or removal of student media content.

Prior review itself is a form of prior restraint. It inevitably leads the reviewer to censor and and student journalists to self-censor in an effort to assure approval.

An officially designated adviser, when working with students and offering suggestions for improvement as part of the coaching and learning process, who reads or views student media before publication is not engaged in prior review.

However, when an adviser requires pre-distribution changes over the objections of student editors, his/her actions then become prior restraint.

Conflict of interest policy

A conflict of interest is defined as an actual or perceived interest by a JEA staff member or JEA elected/ appointed board member or committee chair in an action that results in, or has the appearance of resulting in, personal or professional gain. Staff members, officers, board members and committee chairs are obligated to always act in the best interest of JEA. This obligation requires that any staff member, officer, board member or committee chair, in the performance of organization duties, seek only the furtherance of the JEA mission. At all times, these individuals are prohibited from using their job title or the organization’s name or property for private profit or benefit.

1. As a general rule, the officers, board members and committee chairs of JEA should neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value from contractors/vendors. As long as reported, this is not intended to preclude: 1) bona-fide organization fund raising-activities; 2) paid employment with journalism workshops or courses sponsored by colleges, media organizations or businesses; 3) nominal gifts and meals provided by vendors related to the routine practice of doing business; or 4) compensation for writing educational articles.
2. Officers and board members may serve on the boards of scholastic media organizations as long as those organizations do not have a financial partnership relationship with JEA that would present an actual or perceived conflict of interest.
3. No staff member, officer, board member or committee chair of JEA shall participate in the selection, award or administration of a purchase or contract with a vendor where he/she, an immediate family member, a partner, or an organization of which any of these individuals is an officer, director or employee has a financial interest without disclosure to the board that a conflict of interest may exist.
4. Disclosure—In order to ensure transparency in JEA decision-making, staff members, officers, board members and committee chairs must disclose all possible conflicts of interest, including those outlined above, on an annual conflict of interest disclosure form that will become an official JEA record. The conflict of interest disclosure form will be posted on the JEA website as part of the organization’s official documents.
5. Board Action—When a conflict of interest is relevant to a matter requiring action by the board, the interested person(s) shall call it to the attention of the board. When there is a question as to whether a conflict exists, the matter shall be resolved by vote of the board, excluding the person(s) concerning whose situation the doubt has arisen.
6. Record of Conflict—The official minutes of the board shall reflect that the conflict of interest was disclosed and whether or not the interested person(s) participated in the final discussion and vote.

Copyright of student work

The Journalism Education Association denounces the selling of student media work by outside agencies who profit from students‘ work.

Student media should not be treated differently from other media. Even if student work was produced as part of curriculum in an educational setting during the school day, it deserves the same protection as any other creative work. By establishing copyright, which serves to protect against other groups’ or agencies’ use of creative works, student journalists can work to seek legal recourse from those who reproduce their work.

When agencies profit from the work of student journalists, neither scholastic programs nor students receive compensation. Registering a yearbook’s copyright enables students to hold the companies reprinting books for profit legally liable.

Adviser Code of Ethics

Media advisers will:

• Model standards of professional journalistic conduct.
• Empower students to make decisions of style, structure and content by creating a learning atmosphere where students will actively practice critical thinking and decision-making.
• Encourage students to seek divergent points of view and to explore a variety of information sources in their decision-making.
• Support and defend a free, robust and active forum for student expression without prior review or restraint.
• Emphasize the importance of accuracy, balance and clarity in all aspects of news gathering and reporting.
• Show trust in students as they carry out their responsibilities by encouraging and supporting them in a caring, learning environment.
• Remain informed on press rights and responsibilities across media platforms.
• Advise and mentor, rather than act as censor or decision-maker.
• Display professional and personal integrity in situations that might be construed as potential conflicts of interest.
• Support free expression for others in local and larger communities.
• Model traits of a life-long learner through continuous professional development in media education along with membership and involvement in professional media organizations.
• Champion inclusion so that all students not only see themselves and their ideas represented, but also see themselves as able to contribute to and to lead student-determined media.
• Foster cooperation and open communication with administrators and other stakeholders while students exercise their First Amendment rights.
• Encourage journalistically responsible use of social media in schools and educate students, school officials and community to its value. Educate students about the ramifications of its misuse.

JEA Board of Directors
Revised Nov. 12, 2015

Commitment to Diversity

Approved by the board of directors, Nov. 13, 2021.

As a community of journalism educators, we have a unique opportunity to influence positive change.

We aim to lead scholastic journalists to commit to a critical consciousness of the issues we face in our world. These young voices are the ones who can have the most positive impact when it comes to addressing disparities and injustices surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion. Through their work in media, students develop a heightened awareness. The stories they tell create a more informed and empathetic school community, and the skills they develop prepare them for meaningful contributions in any field.

As a professional learning community, JEA seeks to celebrate individuality and provide a welcoming space to learn and grow. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is deliberate and ongoing. We embrace the complexity of these efforts and pledge to maintain transparency.

Our programs: JEA is committed to supporting our members and the students they teach. We understand we have a unique role in education — teaching how to tell stories, the value of diverse perspectives within them and the communities those stories serve. Our programs support this from the classroom curriculum to our national conventions, from large-group discussions and collaborations to one-on-one mentoring and school partnerships.

Our process: JEA is dedicated to increasing diversity by continually examining and refining the processes by which decisions are made, such as how we spend member dollars, conduct elections, appoint leaders and communicate with members. General membership meetings and open communication with leadership promote transparency. We encourage stakeholder feedback.

Our people: JEA is an organization made of people — people with diverse and intersectional identities, beliefs and experiences — with a common passion for scholastic journalism. We are committed to centralizing underrepresented voices as a part of our community, not only for what they do, but for who they are and how that affects what they do. We are dedicated to providing a space where our members belong and matter, where they are supported as valued contributors and active collaborators and are challenged in their practice.

Obituary Policy

Approved by the board of directors, Nov. 13, 2021.

In the event of a loss to the scholastic journalism community, JEA will write and publish an obituary or memorial post for any

• Current elected or appointed board member
• Past JEA president
• Staff member who served at least three years
• Current professional staff member
• Carl Towley winner

as long as

• a JEA staff member or officer is made aware of the death within 30 days of the passing
• no member of the deceased’s family contacts JEA to object.

The obituary of no more than 300 words will include information about the deceased’s birth and death, teaching career, contributions to JEA and impact on the scholastic media community.

JEA will not request donations or post links to fundraisers or related crowdfunding campaigns on its website. Members or staff choosing to share this type of information may do so using the closed JEAHELP list or using other communication channels.

JEA will link to, forward and/or repost obituary or memorial information on JEAHELP and its social media pages for members, state directors, mentors, board members and liaisons upon request.

In the event a death in the JEA community is made known to officers or staff, the executive director, assistant director and president will determine within 72 hours who among JEA leadership should write the obituary. In the event the president and directors feel unsuited to write the obituary, they may enlist a member of the JEA community.

Any obituary post on JEA.org and social media will include one photo, which will be sourced from JEA archives, or if necessary, provided by the family of the deceased and credited accordingly.

Statement on Prohibited Concept Legislation

Approved by the board of directors, May 12, 2022.

As educators, our job is one of the most demanding as we provide instruction, offer guidance and create opportunities for today’s youth. The Journalism Education Association celebrates the continued excellence in the classroom as teachers adapt to new constraints, innovate despite having fewer resources and survive under heightened scrutiny.

Scholastic journalism teachers and advisers do the impossible each day, and we salute you. We applaud the important work your students produce. And we acknowledge the survival tactics you’ve applied to your teaching and advising these past few years.

We’ve seen everyone adjust, stretch, grow and dig deeper. We’ve maintained a laser-sharp focus on our own students and their unique needs, buoyed by the knowledge that no other academic pursuit offers the unique and essential value student media provides.

That focus enabled us to survive in our own classrooms and newsrooms, but we can’t ignore the latest threats to student voices.

A rising trend in prohibited concepts legislation, also known as anti-divisive content laws, has serious implications for scholastic journalism. Almost 200 bills have been introduced this year alone, many of which are purposely broad and pose significant danger. These bills propose legislation centered around anti-CRT, divisive content, or other restrictions on discussion of race, gender identity or sexual orientation in the classroom.

To be clear, student media is at risk.

As these bills attempt to control curriculum, we need to educate and empower key stakeholders. Student media is not curriculum. It’s the product of curriculum. 

We know student journalists provide an essential, constitutionally protected service to their communities as a result of what they learn from skill-based curriculum.

JEA reaffirms our commitment to student voice. We know students need opportunities for rigorous engagement with ideas and need to be able to report, photograph and interview free of censorship.

The learning process of determining what to cover, why it matters and how to cover it for their school community is a continuous exercise in critical thinking. These bills pose enormous threats to that essential learning experience.

JEA is working closely with the Student Press Law Center and monitoring these bills. We know this type of proposed legislation will make our members’ jobs harder and will have negative effects on students. If you believe these bills are impacting your student media, let us know right away using the Panic Button.

We’ve got your back. As the largest professional association of scholastic journalism teachers and advisers, JEA is committed to doing all we can to provide updates, context, resources and support.

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION of THE JOURNALISM EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, INC.

(A Minnesota Non-Profit Corporation)

Article 1: Name

The name of the corporation is The Journalism Education Association, Inc.

Article 2: Purposes

Section 1. The purposes of the corporation shall be exclusively educational and charitable.

Section 2. Consistent with the general purposes stated above, the specific purposes of the corporation shall be:

1. To function in joint operation with the National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll, and National Council of Teachers of English as a department of the National Education Association in improving the quality of journalism instruction in American schools, both in the classroom and in connection with student publications.
2. To offer a forum for the interchange of plans pertaining to school publications.
3. To present a pattern for the ideals of student journalism in America.
4. To encourage student publications to develop a sense of responsibility and moral obligation not only to the school but to the community, in both school and civic affairs.
5. To spread information concerning new ideas in the field of school publications.
6. To further the understanding of school administrators and the community with the work, plans, and hopes of the student body.
7. To work with any such department or commission of the National Education Association as shall desire cooperative effort toward the furthering of more effective instruction or any other matter in which the Journalism Education Association can be of assistance in America and abroad, and to sponsor suitable activities, publications, curriculum studies and teaching methods in the field of journalism affairs. To establish scholarships toward further study for high school or junior college students who show promise and interest in journalism.
8. The association shall not engage in any activity which would be inconsistent with the status of an educational and charitable organization as defined in Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or any successor provision thereto.
9. The association shall not engage in any activities which may afford pecuniary gain, incidentally or otherwise, to its members.

Article 3: Duration

Duration of corporate existence shall be perpetual.

Article 4: Location

The location of the registered offices of the corporation in the state of Minnesota is as follows: 18 Journalism Building, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.

Article 5: Incorporators

The names of the incorporators are as follows:

Mrs. Ruth Marie Griggs
Mr. James Harold Bull
Mr. Bruce Riches Minteer
Sister M. Rita Jeanne, FSPA
Mr. Elwood C. Karwand

Article 6: Directors

The Board of Directors shall consist of twelve members.

The first Board of Directors shall consist of the following named members, each of whom shall hold office as director for a period of two years:

Mrs. Ruth Marie Griggs
Mr. James Bull
Mr. Bruce Minteer
Sister M. Rita Jeanne
Mr. Elwood C. Karwand
Mr. Harold Cantor
Mr. Newell Huckaby
Mrs. Eltse Carter
Mrs. Margaret Cash
Sister Mary Ann Christine
Mr. Fred L. Kildow
Mr. Lester Benz

Article 7: Personal Liability

Members of the corporation shall not be personally liable for obligations of the corporation, nor shall the private property of the members be subject to the payment of the corporate debts.

Article 8: Capital Stock

The Corporation is not organized for profit and shall not have capital stock. The conditions of membership of the corporation and rights of the members shall be such as are stated in the by-laws of the corporation.

Article 9: General Provisions

With the exception of the first Board of Directors, the number of Directors of the corporation shall be as specified in the by-laws, and such number may from time to time be changed in such manner as may be prescribed in the by-laws; provided that the number of directors of the corporation shall always be not less than three. Whenever, there shall be a vacancy on the Board of Directors, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the by-laws.

The Board of Directors shall have the full power to manage the operations and affairs of the corporation, to invest the funds of the corporation, to determine the use of such funds or property, to establish bureaus, committees, offices and agencies, and to employ expert agents and others.

The Board of Directors shall have the authority to publish and print such periodicals and newspapers as are consistent with the purposes of the corporation, and to secure advertising and sell subscriptions to such publications. The Board of Directors shall have authority to form a foundation or establish trust funds and to transact business with other trust funds and foundations.

In the event of liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, none of the property of the corporation, nor any proceeds thereof, shall be distributed or shall enure to the benefit of any member or individual, but all of such property and assets shall be applied to accomplish the general purpose of the corporation.

Article 10: Meetings and Records

Meetings of members may be held at such place as the by-laws shall provide. The books of the corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the statutes). at such place or places as may be from time to time designated by the Board of Directors.

We, the undersigned, being each of the incorporators herein before named, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to Chapter 317 of the Minnesota Statutes, do make this certificate, hereby declaring and certifying that the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly have hereunto set our hands and seals this 20th day of October, 1967.

Mrs. Ruth Marie Griggs L.S.
James Harold Bull
Bruce Riches Minteer L.S.
Sister M. Rita Jeanne L.S.
Elwood C. Karwand L.S.