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New Voices in your state

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R/C/I-Corning) and Senator Tom O'Mara (R/C/I-Big Flats) visited student journalists at Corning-Painted Post High School's Tesserae yearbook on Friday, February 1 to present them a copy of the resolutions the legislators co-sponsored, recognizing January 30 as Student Press Freedom Day in the State of New York. Both Palmesano and O'Mara are co-sponsors of New York's New Voices legislation, the Student Journalist Free Speech Act.

Ask SPLC: Am I obligated to take down an embarrassing story if the subject of it asks?

A: It depends. First of all, it is a good idea for your publication to have a policy on takedown demands or retractions. Many publications have a policy that is some variation of stating that there will be no takedowns or retractions unless something in the article is false.  It is important to keep in mind… Continue reading Ask SPLC: Am I obligated to take down an embarrassing story if the subject of it asks?

Supreme Court asked to hear case about criminalizing “disruptive” speech to school employees, SPLC signs onto brief siding with students

Editor's Note: The Student Press Law Center signed onto a friend-of-the-court brief from the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida. This story was originally published by the Brechner Center. Feb. 19, 2019 update: Supreme Court Declines Challenge to Kentucky Law on School Disruption. Coverage from Education Week. Read or download… Continue reading Supreme Court asked to hear case about criminalizing “disruptive” speech to school employees, SPLC signs onto brief siding with students

Ask SPLC: Can private school advisers safely testify in support of a protective student media policy?

Q: I am a student media adviser at a public high school whose principal has censored several articles over the years. Last week he did it again for no other reason, he said, than "it made the school look bad." This has prompted my students to ask the school board to pass a new, more protective… Continue reading Ask SPLC: Can private school advisers safely testify in support of a protective student media policy?

House lawmakers ‘fast-tracking’ Missouri New Voices bill in 2019

Mitch Eden, Jack Rintoul, Rep. Deb Lavender, Thora Pearson, Maddie Meyers Photographer: Hannah Hall, Lavender's Chief of Staff

Feb. 13, 2019 UPDATE: Missouri’s New Voices bill passed a key House committee vote on Wednesday, Feb. 13. HB 743 passed unanimously in executive session, with all twelve committee members supporting it, House General Laws committee Vice Chairman Jered Taylor (R-District 139) said in a text message. The vote moves the bill to the House… Continue reading House lawmakers ‘fast-tracking’ Missouri New Voices bill in 2019

SPLC signs onto brief appealing discipline for “disrespectful” political speech by medical student on Facebook

Editor's Note: The Student Press Law Center signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief from the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida. This story was originally published by the Brechner Center. Read or download the full brief. In the latest legal skirmish over the ability of public universities to regulate what… Continue reading SPLC signs onto brief appealing discipline for “disrespectful” political speech by medical student on Facebook

Students around the country write op-eds advocating for student press freedom

As part of Student Press Freedom Day, the kickoff event of Year of the Student Journalist, students around the country published op-eds about the importance of a free student press. More than 50 student publications have published so far and more are jumping in all the time. The messages behind these opinion pieces and news… Continue reading Students around the country write op-eds advocating for student press freedom

Open-government advocates defend public’s right of access to campus disciplinary cases involving violent crimes

Editor's Note: The Student Press Law Center signed onto a friend-of-the-court brief from the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida. This story was originally published by the Brechner Center. Read or download the full brief. Public universities should release records showing how they punish students found liable for committing serious… Continue reading Open-government advocates defend public’s right of access to campus disciplinary cases involving violent crimes

Student journalists unify, call for new and stronger press freedoms

The Torch, Bergen Community College (Paramus, N.J.) Photo courtesy of Edriel Fimbres, photo editor

On a day of coordinated national action, student journalists and their allies published editorials, held events and flooded social media to defend student press freedoms that have increasingly come under attack. The Student Press Law Center dubbed Jan. 30 Student Press Freedom day — a day when student journalists were encouraged to speak out about… Continue reading Student journalists unify, call for new and stronger press freedoms