Media Contact: media@splc.org
In the midst of protests occurring at college campuses across the country related to the Israel-Gaza war, Student Press Law Center Executive Director Gary Green made the following statement:
As the nation has seen firsthand this week, student journalists have a unique and essential role on their campuses in observing and disseminating news. It is precisely in times of crisis like these when such coverage is needed the most and student journalists are at their best.
We are disturbed to see reports of student journalists assaulted or threatened with arrest on their own campuses. All of us, including those on campus, are better informed when journalists can undertake their constitutionally protected duty without fear for their personal safety or wellbeing.
Student journalists must not be attacked or threatened with arrest or disciplinary action for merely doing their jobs. We urge administrators and law enforcement to work directly with student journalists to ensure they can safely and responsibly report on the historic events unfolding across the country.
Now is the time to strengthen our commitment to the student press, not sideline or undermine it.
The Student Press Law Center urges student journalists facing barriers in their reporting to contact our free Legal Hotline at splc.org/legalhelp. Additional resources on covering protests are found here.
The Student Press Law Center (splc.org) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working at the intersection of education, journalism and the law to promote, support and defend the free press rights of student journalists and their advisers. SPLC provides information, training and legal assistance at no charge to high school and college student journalists and the educators who work with them.