As Maryland celebrates 10 years of protecting student journalists from arbitrary censorship, a Student Press Law Center analysis found that most of the state’s school districts have student media policies that comply with its New Voices law.
The legislation, signed into law on April 26, 2016, provides strong protections for high school and college student journalists against censorship of school-sponsored student media. It also protects student media advisers against termination or disciplinary measures in retaliation for their students’ protected speech.
The law requires districts to adopt policies that reflect the aforementioned rights, which the Student Press Law Center has found integral to ensuring New Voices laws are effectively implemented and understood at the local level.
“Ten years later, Maryland offers an encouraging example of what New Voices legislation can make possible,” SPLC Advocacy Associate Grayson Marlow said. “In many school districts, the law has helped student journalists report with greater confidence, with administration tangibly recognizing that student media deserves protection.”
District policy analysis
Earlier this month, SPLC reviewed the student media policies of all of Maryland’s 25 school districts, finding that every district with easily accessible online policies — 20 in all — were in full compliance with state law.
That has not been the case when SPLC has done similar analyses in Iowa, West Virginia and Washington state.
On April 15, SPLC sent public records requests to the remaining five districts without a clearly accessible student media policy online. Kent County responded with their policy, which is fully compliant with the New Voices law. We will update this story with responses from Calvert County, Montgomery County, Queen Anne’s County and Somerset County as we receive them.
The value of student reporting
The impact of Maryland’s New Voices law can be seen in the strength of the state’s student media community. Across the state, reporters have covered issues that matter deeply to their schools and surrounding communities, from administrative policy to student life.
Maryland student journalists and advisers have also been recognized by state and national scholastic journalism organizations.
In 2021, the National Scholastic Press Association listed three Maryland student publications among its all-time top 100 nationwide, based on how many times they have won a national Pacemaker since the award’s inception in 1927. Those included the Erehwon at Winston Churchill High School, Silver Chips at Montgomery Blair High School and Colophon at Towson High School.
“Such accomplishments reflect what can happen when students are trusted to report and publish meaningful work,” Marlow said. “The Student Press Law Center celebrates the 10th anniversary of Maryland’s New Voices law, as well as the progress districts have made in adopting strong student media policies. At the same time, we also recognize that these policies are not always followed evenly, and the work must continue to educate students, advisers and administrators about these rights and the importance of student press freedom.”
Learn more about the laws in our Guide to Maryland’s New Voices Act. SPLC also provides a School District Advocacy Toolkit and a model district policy to help students, advisers and administrators create or improve their district’s student media policy. If you have questions about your district policy, you can contact the free SPLC Legal Hotline.
About New Voices: New Voices is a student-led, nonpartisan movement working to end censorship of student media by passing state laws that protect students’ right to report freely. The Student Press Law Center powers this movement by convening coalitions, educating lawmakers, sharing model policies and equipping students with the training and confidence they need to stand up for press freedom.