Rachel Gunther, associate director of Youth on Board, discusses her organization’s new smartphone app for student rights.Frank LoMonte: It’s the end of July, and stores are starting to put backpacks and binders on a back-to-school special, so it’s that time of year when people are starting to take stock of their teachers and their schedules… Continue reading July 2015 Podcast: Launching an app for student rights
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Memphis college journalist honored with Holland Award for public-records reporting
Student journalist Jonathan Capriel has won a public-records reporting award for several articles that exposed hazing, inequities and consumer rip-offs at the University of Memphis.
The SPLC First Amendment rights diagram
Download a diagram determining students' First Amendment rights by state.
Hello, I had a question about FERPA. I transferred from a college where I owed a debt, and now I’m unable to get my transcripts. I am sending in the FERPA form, however, I also read that after submitting the FERPA form, I can use the FOIA to help further? I’m not entirely sure what most of this is, and what I should do, exactly. Any response is greatly appreciated.
Hmm, never heard of a student using FOIA to obtain her own transcripts before. If anyone ELSE (other than you) made the request, state FOIA law would allow the university to deny the request on privacy grounds. Since it’s your own transcript, obviously that does not apply, so there doesn’t seem to be any good… Continue reading Hello, I had a question about FERPA. I transferred from a college where I owed a debt, and now I’m unable to get my transcripts. I am sending in the FERPA form, however, I also read that after submitting the FERPA form, I can use the FOIA to help further? I’m not entirely sure what most of this is, and what I should do, exactly. Any response is greatly appreciated.
$900,000 settlement reached between former Valdosta State University student and ex-university president
A former student who was expelled from a Georgia university for environmental activism without a hearing has received a $900,000 settlement after eight years.
Minutes of school-board personnel discussions can be released for public inspection, N.C. court rules
A North Carolina school board tried to withhold the minutes of a closed-door discussion about the school superintendent's employment contract, claiming the minutes were a "personnel record." But a state appeals court disagreed. The ruling is a reminder that, despite what school lawyers often insist, not everything about personnel decisions is off-limits to journalists' scrutiny.
SPLC, Columbus Dispatch collaboration awarded top First Amendment award
The Student Press Law Center and the Columbus Dispatch's investigative series on hidden campus crime rates has been awarded the Society of Professional Journalists' First Amendment award.
Fairmont State administrator removed from newspaper supervisor position after allegations of intimidation
The university president decided to remove a department head from his supervisory position over the student newspaper, after allegations of intimidation once the paper published investigative stories on black mold.
Northern Michigan University’s The North Wind gives up lawsuit against newspaper’s Board of Directors
After losing her request for a preliminary injunction that would have let an ousted newspaper adviser keep her job, the advisor and the student paper's editor have dropped their lawsuit — and have helped spearhead the launch of two new campaigns for student press freedom.
Appeals court's "ethnic studies" ruling fortifies students' rights to receive information
A federal appeals court allowed student plaintiffs to go forward with due process and First Amendment challenges to the state of Arizona's decision to eliminate "ethnic studies" courses from the K-12 curriculum. The court's 3-0 decision is remarkable for recognizing that students have a constitutionally protected right to receive information even in the classroom setting, a principle that may strengthen the hand of future student plaintiffs.