Published Thursday, April 5, 2001
Student journalists fight on for press freedoms
BY SHANNON COMES AT NIGHT
ASNE Reporter
More than a decade after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling limiting high school student press freedoms, the number of calls from students for legal assistance concerning censorship increases yearly, according to Mark Goodman, executive director of the Student Press Law Center.
The censorship of stories in high school and college publications is a growing problem, he told editors at the ASNE convention Wednesday. Last year, his center received 1,624 phone calls from concerned student journalists and their advisers – “only those who are courageous enough” – up from 548 in 1988.
And censorship isn’t the only problem: School administrators have frequently “scolded or punished” students after the publication of a story, he said.
But Gene Reynolds, retired principal of the St. Louis suburban high school involved in the 1988 Supreme Court case, said that the ruling improved the quality of scholastic journalism.
“The journalism teacher should make the decision” on whether a story runs or not, he said, and “it’s wise to always consult with the principal. There has to be a trust between the teacher and principal.”
The Supreme Court case, Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, limited free-press rights of students at Hazelwood High School. Mr. Reynolds had prevented high school journalists from publishing articles written about teen pregnancy and how divorce affects teens.
The court ruled “educators do not offend the First Amendment by exercising editorial control over the style and content of student speech in school-sponsored expressive activities so long as their actions are reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.”
Mr. Reynolds told editors at ASNE that he had been concerned about younger high school students reading about these sensitive issues.
He said he was discouraged by the small attendance at the panel, which was titled “High School Journalism: The First Amendment under wraps.” He said the 50 audience members could still “make a difference” with their presence. He praised a $4.8 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to improve high school journalism programs.
Mr. Goodman also praised the Knight Foundation grant. He said high schools need to focus more attention on the journalism teacher. He said that teachers often are pushed into advising school newspapers by administrations. “The quality of the adviser can make a difference,” he said.
Three high school journalists who spoke after Mr. Goodman and Mr. Reynolds said that their principals read all of their stories before they are printed and are cooperative – but they’ve found that, in general, they cannot write stories that are critical of their administrations.
Jeff Davis, a Sherwood High School senior in Sandy Spring, Md., said the administration at his high school is supportive of the content of The Warrior, where he is the co-editor. Nicole Edwards, a senior and co-editor of the Train of Thought at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, and Katherine Lehr, a senior and co-editor of The A-Blast at Annandale High School in Annandale, Va., said administrators cooperate with the newspapers for the most part.
But “there will always be censorship until the world blows up,” Ms. Edwards said after the panel discussion was over. “Many people don’t think we have anything to say.”
The students said they enjoy the journalistic hardships they endure, because the news makes a difference. “You create a debate and make people aware of the issues at school,” said Mr. Davis.
The Student Press Law Center provides free legal assistance and advocacy to student journalists. “Student and public officials should know what their rights are,” said Mr. Goodman. “Unfortunately, going to court with high school students is not a guarantee of success.
“The damage (censorship) does to the mind of high school journalists is incalculable,” he said. “High school journalists feel betrayed, and it makes them ask why they are even fighting this battle.”
