Category: Blog

SPLC urges Supreme Court to limit school authority over off-campus student speech
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This month the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Mahanoy Area School Dist. v. B.L., a student speech case that could fundamentally alter how future generations understand the idea of free speech in America.  Read SPLC's Amicus Brief Just over 50 years ago the Court handed down a decision in its landmark student speech… Continue reading SPLC urges Supreme Court to limit school authority over off-campus student speech

Despite COVID, New Voices made significant progress in 2020
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When the legislative sessions began in January, New Voices advocates in more than a dozen states intended to make 2020 an historic year for student media. They had no way of knowing what was to come. Throughout 2020 student journalists and New Voices advocates weathered a pandemic, interrupted legislatures, a record-setting election, widespread protests, risks… Continue reading Despite COVID, New Voices made significant progress in 2020

Celebrating Student Press Freedom on Constitution Day
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We honor Constitution Day by recognizing we have the right, and the responsibility, to uphold one of the First Amendment’s core values: to protect and support the free press – including student press freedom. On Constitution Day we need to recognize and fight to protect the rights of student journalists to report the news fairly… Continue reading Celebrating Student Press Freedom on Constitution Day

On Covering DACA, from one undocumented student journalist
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It’s been a little over a week since I revealed publicly for the first time that I’m undocumented. After Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Sept. 5 that DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, will be rescinded, a current editor of my high school newspaper reached out to me. She asked me, as a former editor-in-chief of the publication, to write something to our community. She wanted my help localizing national news. I agreed.

Virginia student confronts school board to end prior review — Q & A with Kate Karstens

Lasso Staff
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Kate Karstens is a senior at George Mason High School in Falls Church, Virginia and the editor of their student newspaper, The Lasso. Since last March, she’s been on a campaign to codify press freedom in her school district by changing her school board’s policy of prior review. I spoke with her about her passion… Continue reading Virginia student confronts school board to end prior review — Q & A with Kate Karstens

Shooting the messenger: Facebook post leads to community backlash against HS newspaper columnist

It's #TalkBackTuesday
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By Shelby Zeigler I am an opinion columnist for my high school newspaper, Uncaged News. I have always loved the excitement of writing an opinionated column that starts a civic discourse among the members of my community and it’s become something I’m quite well known for in our small town. When my journalism advisor came… Continue reading Shooting the messenger: Facebook post leads to community backlash against HS newspaper columnist