More than 150 student journalists from all 25 public high schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, sent an open letter today demanding their district comply with the state’s New Voices legislation after the release of an alarming memo that requires principals to read and approve every story before publication.
A coalition of 14 national journalism organizations sent a letter Tuesday to Indiana University administrators, urging them to act on a student media task force’s recommendations — and warning that the press freedom community is still watching.
The Student Press Law Center today condemned a federal court ruling upholding — for now, at least — the University of Alabama’s decision to shut down two student magazines, calling the decision a significant threat to student press freedom nationwide.
Resolution HJ 196 honors the students for their months-long campaign that fended off their school district’s attempt to curtail their independence and eventually secured greater protections in a new district-wide policy.
Gretna East High School junior Nicholas Mitchell filed an appeal yesterday with the Gretna Public Schools Board of Education, asking them to reverse the recent censorship of an editorial cartoon and to establish a district policy that lets student editors determine the content of school-sponsored student media without prior review.
Mike Hiestand, the Student Press Law Center's senior legal counsel, said the suspensions appear to be unlawful viewpoint discrimination. He made the following statement:
“The Student Press Law Center welcomes any genuine effort by Indiana University to strengthen the editorial independence and financial sustainability of its student media. However, the announcement of a new task force cannot erase the events of the past week, which represent serious violations of student press freedom,” staff attorney Jonathan Gaston-Falk said.
The Student Press Law Center is alarmed by reports by the Indiana Daily Student that administrators issued orders to interfere with content decisions and fired their long-time adviser.
Last updated March 23, 2025 This week, we all celebrate and shine a light on the importance of public records and open government. Transparency is critical to understanding how our public institutions function, and student journalists are often the only ones in their community regularly holding school and college administrators accountable. We hope you'll join… Continue reading Sunshine Week shines light on transparency
Nine months after student journalist Dilan Gohill was arrested while covering a protest at Stanford University, prosecutors confirmed today that they will not pursue criminal charges against him.
