Press Freedom in Your State

Who We Are

The Student Press Law Center thrives at the intersection of law, journalism and education to promote, support and defend the rights of student journalists and their advisers at the high school and college levels.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan SPLC provides information, training and legal assistance at no charge to student journalists and the educators who work with them. Founded in 1974, the SPLC is a small and scrappy outfit based in Washington, D.C. with an outsized impact across the country.

Learn More

FOI Lawsuit Template

If a government agency denies your request for records, use our templates to file a complaint in court and learn about legal options in your state.

Learn More

Recent News

Does FERPA prevent me from reporting on a fight between students at my school?

Every week, Student Press Law Center attorneys answer a frequently asked question about student media law in “Ask SPLC.” Q: Does FERPA prevent me from reporting on a fight that took place on my campus between two students? A: No. FERPA punishes schools that have a policy or practice of disclosing a student’s education records without the… Continue reading Does FERPA prevent me from reporting on a fight between students at my school?

Illinois school district censors student newspaper. Is it a violation of the New Voices law?

ILLINOIS — A school district censored an article published in a high school newspaper, then locked away the print issues for nearly 24 hours, which students say violated their rights as journalists. The Central Times is the student newspaper at Naperville Central High School in a western suburb of Chicago. The paper’s Editor-in-Chief Vivian Zhao… Continue reading Illinois school district censors student newspaper. Is it a violation of the New Voices law?

A Radford employee stole student newspapers, but the university won’t say who

UPDATE: An unnamed Radford University employee has been identified by university police as the person who stole campus newspapers from at least four newsstands in September. In a letter to Tartan editor-in-chief Dylan Lepore, Radford University Police Chief David Underwood wrote that a “classified staff employee” was found responsible for stealing papers from four stands.… Continue reading A Radford employee stole student newspapers, but the university won’t say who