The Student Press Law Center submitted written testimony Feb. 9 in response to proposed amendments to Wisconsin’s SB 571. SPLC strongly supports the original legislation but urged the state Senate Committee on Universities and Revenue to reconsider amendments that would significantly undermine the bill’s protection of student journalists.
The legislation, based on SPLC’s model bill, ensures that Wisconsin’s public high school and college student journalists determine the content of student media and cannot be censored except in certain rare circumstances. It also prevents student media advisers from facing retaliation when they refuse to unlawfully restrict their students’ rights. A similar bill unanimously passed the Wisconsin Assembly in November.
In its testimony, SPLC argues for the removal of Senate Amendment 3, which would require that students get parental permission before joining a student newsroom. SPLC Staff Attorney Jonathan Gaston-Falk explained that this requirement would place an additional burden on students’ free speech rights and have an unnecessary chilling effect. Gaston-Falk’s testimony also dispelled the notion that parents likely would be liable if their child is found to have authored unprotected speech.
Further, SPLC suggested small changes to other amendments that (1) designate speech as not protected if it is rejected by student editors, (2) restrict the use of “harmful material” like nudity for college students and (3) provide an exemption from the requirement for institutions and school boards to institute a policy in line with the bill.
“With these small amendments, and the complete purge of Senate Amendment 3, we urge swift passage of this legislation,” Gaston-Falk wrote.