Teens rally to ‘Stand for Speech’ in NYC

Teens for Press Freedom, New Voices New York, and the Student Press Law Center hosted a rally in support of New York’s Student Journalist Free Speech Act. Teens for Press Freedom, New Voices New York, PEN America, Student Press Law Center, and approximately 40 high school students gathered in New York City to advocate for… Continue reading Teens rally to ‘Stand for Speech’ in NYC

Nebraska high school journalist refuses to back down, publishes her censored article on Confederate flags and racism at school in local paper

A student truck at North Platte High School, Nebraska displays the Confederate flag in the school parking lot. A student stole one of these flags, and another wrote a story about the incident. (George Lauby/The North Platte Bulletin)

NEBRASKA — In September, Jessica Mathieu, a senior at North Platte High School, in southwest Nebraska, stole a Confederate flag from another student’s pickup truck parked in the school parking lot. She posted a video on social media acknowledging that she had stolen the flag, saying, “I know what I did was wrong, but what you’re doing is worse. You’re making people at your school feel like they’re not welcome.”

Illinois has a law protecting student press freedom, so why is censorship still happening?

The exterior of the Illinois capitol building on a sunny day

ILLINOIS — In 2016, Illinois passed the Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act, which protects student journalists at public schools from censorship by their administration. But the language in the law does not protect advisers from retaliation over news stories their students produce. Those protections were initially part of HB 5902, but were stripped from… Continue reading Illinois has a law protecting student press freedom, so why is censorship still happening?

HBCU newspaper editors tell us about their work and the significance of Black student journalists reporting Black news (Part 3— North Carolina A&T State University’s The A&T Register)

Jarod Hamilton, a Black college student and EIC of The Register poses in front of a blue background
Jarod Hamilton, the editor-in-chief of North Carolina A&T State University's The A&T Register.

Q&A with Jarod Hamilton, the editor-in-chief of North Carolina A&T State University's The A&T Register Interview by Alexis Mason, Outreach and Operations Manager at the Student Press Law Center In honor of Black History Month, SPLC is celebrating the rich history of student journalism at historically Black colleges and universities by conducting a series of Q&A… Continue reading HBCU newspaper editors tell us about their work and the significance of Black student journalists reporting Black news (Part 3— North Carolina A&T State University’s The A&T Register)