Thursday, November 23, 2006
Our School Newspaper Is Being Censored
Hey, Guidance Guy, What's Up?
I came across this site with a few of my 'colleagues' while working on the school newspaper. Actually, we were discussing whether or not an article rating different teachers would be appropriate and someone said "Hey, they have a site for that" so we looked this up. Anyway, when I saw that there was an advice column, I decided to send in a letter. So here goes.
My newspaper class is in an uproar. We've had two comics and four editorials censored because the school administration deemed them 'inappropriate' for the rest of the student body. That was some seriously good work that they've cut out too! They allow the most mundane of all articles, but when a real issue comes up, they tell us it's not allowed. I've shown the comics and articles to a few of my out-of-class peers and they find nothing wrong with any of them. It may be only one opinion editor's thinking, but I believe my school is wrong in censoring our work. Anyway, you know the whole 'Freedom of the Press' thing? Apparently it doesn't apply here, because all of us in the class are minors, as well as the majority of the student body.
HOWEVER; if the school does indeed respect us as a newspaper and not just a 'school production', doesn't that mean that we are, indeed, entitled to the same production rights as a regular newspaper? Better yet, is there some way we could show them that we, as a class, will not sit back and let them deem our work 'inappropriate'? What do we do/say, short of refusing to process the paper anymore, to get them to lay off?
Please, we're all getting a bit desperate here. It is so infuriating to be silenced this way. It's down-right un-American!
Dylan Tyler
'Number Dee' O.E.
*** *** ***
Dear Dylan,
You say this is a newspaper class, so I'm assuming there is a teacher. Are these articles being approved by the teacher but overriden by the administration? If that's the case, it would be appropriate for the teacher to "go to bat" for you. If the teacher thinks the articles aren't appropriate, I'm surpised he/she isn't saying anything.
There's a long standing policy in American education that school newspapers, whether they're part of a class or not are part of the official school program. Anything that an administrator deems inappropriate to the learning environment can be censored. This goes for newspapers, profanity or other slogans on shirts, revealing clothing, etc. Freedom of the press applies to independent press, not school-based newspapers.
That said, a meeting with the administration might be a good idea. Find out just how far they're willing to let things go. What's appropriate to publish and what isn't? Why were your articles and comics rejected? It's also a good time to state your position loud and clear. Remember: the more you listen, the more you'll be taken seriously. This may be very helpful in the future.
Last thought. Freedom of the press DOES apply to any independent projects you may start beyond the school. There's nothing to stop you from publishing your own paper, even if it's an on line version. Just make sure what you publish - virtual or actual - is in compliance with all the laws where you live. Freedom stops when someone else is harassed, slandered or threatened by what you publish. A judge gets to decide that, not a school administrator.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
I came across this site with a few of my 'colleagues' while working on the school newspaper. Actually, we were discussing whether or not an article rating different teachers would be appropriate and someone said "Hey, they have a site for that" so we looked this up. Anyway, when I saw that there was an advice column, I decided to send in a letter. So here goes.
My newspaper class is in an uproar. We've had two comics and four editorials censored because the school administration deemed them 'inappropriate' for the rest of the student body. That was some seriously good work that they've cut out too! They allow the most mundane of all articles, but when a real issue comes up, they tell us it's not allowed. I've shown the comics and articles to a few of my out-of-class peers and they find nothing wrong with any of them. It may be only one opinion editor's thinking, but I believe my school is wrong in censoring our work. Anyway, you know the whole 'Freedom of the Press' thing? Apparently it doesn't apply here, because all of us in the class are minors, as well as the majority of the student body.
HOWEVER; if the school does indeed respect us as a newspaper and not just a 'school production', doesn't that mean that we are, indeed, entitled to the same production rights as a regular newspaper? Better yet, is there some way we could show them that we, as a class, will not sit back and let them deem our work 'inappropriate'? What do we do/say, short of refusing to process the paper anymore, to get them to lay off?
Please, we're all getting a bit desperate here. It is so infuriating to be silenced this way. It's down-right un-American!
Dylan Tyler
'Number Dee' O.E.
*** *** ***
Dear Dylan,
You say this is a newspaper class, so I'm assuming there is a teacher. Are these articles being approved by the teacher but overriden by the administration? If that's the case, it would be appropriate for the teacher to "go to bat" for you. If the teacher thinks the articles aren't appropriate, I'm surpised he/she isn't saying anything.
There's a long standing policy in American education that school newspapers, whether they're part of a class or not are part of the official school program. Anything that an administrator deems inappropriate to the learning environment can be censored. This goes for newspapers, profanity or other slogans on shirts, revealing clothing, etc. Freedom of the press applies to independent press, not school-based newspapers.
That said, a meeting with the administration might be a good idea. Find out just how far they're willing to let things go. What's appropriate to publish and what isn't? Why were your articles and comics rejected? It's also a good time to state your position loud and clear. Remember: the more you listen, the more you'll be taken seriously. This may be very helpful in the future.
Last thought. Freedom of the press DOES apply to any independent projects you may start beyond the school. There's nothing to stop you from publishing your own paper, even if it's an on line version. Just make sure what you publish - virtual or actual - is in compliance with all the laws where you live. Freedom stops when someone else is harassed, slandered or threatened by what you publish. A judge gets to decide that, not a school administrator.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
# posted by Larry Hochman : 8:25 AM
