Public colleges in Georgia can close disciplinary hearings, but don’t have to, according to a letter from the state attorney general’s office clarifying whether a new law mandates their closure.
Author: Bailey McGowan
UNC will release records to media group as part of settlement in FERPA case
A two-year battle for documents detailing an investigation in NCAA violations is over, with public records being released to The Daily Tar Heel and other media organizations today and in the coming days.
Oregon high school students ask school to return confiscated papers
A Portland high school’s newspaper is fighting to distribute copies of its first issue that were confiscated by administrators who didn’t like that the paper published a screenshot of a profane tweet.
Minnesota teens fight school's ban on yearbook content
Students and parents are upset at a Minnesota high school that won’t let the school’s yearbook include a memorial page for a suicide victim or allow a senior to include her daughter in her senior picture.
Texas cheerleaders can keep religious banners, judge rules
Texas high school cheerleaders have won the right to keep displaying religious banners at sporting events until their case goes to trial in June.The case first came up in September when the Freedom From Religion Foundation complained, after a tip from a local resident, about the religious-themed banners used by Kountze High School cheerleaders for players to burst through at the start of football games.A temporary restraining order allowed students to continue to putting religious messages on run-through banners. A Hardin County judge extended that order Thursday, telling the school district to cease censoring the speech on the girls' banners. In granting the preliminary injunction, the judge said the ban on banners was infringing on the cheerleaders' constitutional and statutory rights by prohibiting religious expression.“I think we were right on the facts and the law,” said David Starnes, the attorney for the cheerleaders.Before the hearing Thursday, the cheerleaders received support from both Texas Gov.
Salt Lake Tribune wins release of records documenting coach's inappropriate relationship
Records documenting an inappropriate relationship between a student and a former high school football coach aren’t protected by FERPA, a Utah committee on public records has ruled.
Proposed Michigan bill criminalizes cyberbullying
A proposed bill would tighten Michigan law on bullying and cyberbullying but may be too broad, free speech experts say.
Judge recommends against prohibition on religious-themed fliers at school
A Tampa-area school board should no longer be permitted to prohibit fliers that contain messages promoting the benefits of a specific religion, according to a magistrate judge’s report.
Amid breastfeeding professor controversy, American University discusses role of student media
The role of student media came under fire after American University’s student newspaper, The Eagle, interviewed an associate professor about breastfeeding in class. The story generated national attention before the paper ever even wrote about it, and Thursday, media and school representatives gathered to talk about the role of student journalism and their rights, as well as what qualifies as news.“Journalists serve the public interest, but that is not the same as what the public is interested in,” said John Watson, an American University associate professor who was one of the panelists on the forum held at the campus.The panel consisted of Watson, Director of Media and Interactive Journalism Amy Eisman, Student Press Law Center Executive Director Frank LoMonte, Associated Press Reporter Brett Zongker and was lead by Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the School of Communication Rose Ann Robertson.The Eagle was unfairly criticized as a third-rate, sexist, anti-woman publication targeting faculty, hounding sources and asking biased and sophomoric questions, Robertson said.“They do make mistakes because they have the unfortunate liability of relying on human beings but it’s a very good paper,” Watson said.One of the functions of a news media is to put controversial issues on the public agenda, Watson said.
Athletic department threatens to revoke student magazines press credentials over its livetweeting
Like many college papers last Saturday, The Stony Brook Press live tweeted its school’s football game — only their tweets made no references to football.
Stony Brook gets stuck in the sand trap and Colgate wins their first power play— Stony Brook Press (@sbpress) September 22, 2012
Colgate turns their yellow card into a double to second base— Stony Brook Press (@sbpress) September 22, 2012The tweets (view a Storify here) prompted a threat from the athletic department to revoke the newspaper’s press credentials if they did not start using correct football terminology.