Embedded Files
The Board encourages students to express their views in school-sponsored publications, but they must observe the rules of responsible journalism. This means that libelous statements, obscenity, defamation of persons, false statements, material advocating racial or religious prejudice, hatred, violence, the breaking of laws and school regulations, or material; designed to disrupt the educational process will not be permitted.
The Board also encourages school-sponsored publications as an educational activity through which students can gain experience in writing, reporting, editing, and an understanding of responsible journalism. The sponsors of student publications have a responsibility to review the contents of these publications before publication and to assist students in improving their skills, their modes of expression, and to recognize material that is in poor taste, misleading, false, ill-advised, prejudiced, and even libelous.
Review of content prior to publication is not censorship, but part of the educational process as it concerns student publications.
It can be pointed out to students, as it frequently is to journalists, that a publisher (in this case, the school district) enjoys freedom to determine what will and will not be published.
(Adoption date 11/19/80)
Report abuse