Hillary Davis, SPLC’s New Voices Advocacy and Campaign Organizer, sits down and walks us through the New Voices movement in 2020. Find out what’s happening in your state and how you can get involved. Full Transcript Joe Severino: In January, state legislatures across the country will meet for the start of their 2020 lawmaking sessions,… Continue reading New Voices 2020 preview
Tag: Arkansas
New Voices bills see success and defeat in 2019 state legislative sessions
The New Voices movement has made significant strides in 2019, with a record number of state bills (11) introduced, and two measures adopted in Arkansas to strengthen protections for student journalists. New Voices is a student-powered nonpartisan grassroots movement of state-based advocates who seek to protect student press freedom with state laws. These laws counteract… Continue reading New Voices bills see success and defeat in 2019 state legislative sessions
For second time this session, Arkansas puts more student media protections into law
UPDATE: Protections for Arkansas student journalists were again expanded this year after amendments to the 1995 Student Publications Act were signed by the governor. HB1432, now Act 912, was signed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson during the week of April 8 and makes several incremental changes to the decades-old law. The law now covers all school-sponsored… Continue reading For second time this session, Arkansas puts more student media protections into law
Act 912 Amending the Arkansas Student Publications Act (2019)
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed HB1432 (now Act 912) into law in April 2019. The law now covers all school-sponsored student “media” as opposed to all “publications.” The law will now apply more widely to non-traditional students. Read the amendment
PODCAST: New Voices advocates talk struggles and successes
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Cory Dawson: Since 1988, student reporters have lived under a Supreme Court ruling that gives school administrators vast control over what goes into their school’s newspapers. Since then, students, advocates and media advisers have worked to put press freedoms for student journalists into law by passing New Voices laws in 14 states. These laws protect… Continue reading PODCAST: New Voices advocates talk struggles and successes
Act 395 Amending the Arkansas Student Publications Act (2019)
Lawmakers unanimously passed HB1231 (now Act 395) in March 2019, which expanded rights initially only granted to K-12 journalists under the 1995 Student Publications Act to cover college journalists as well. The new law protects public college student journalists in the state from interference from their administrators, and protects their advisers from retaliation should their students publish something administrators… Continue reading Act 395 Amending the Arkansas Student Publications Act (2019)
A record number of states have introduced New Voices bills in 2019
More bills protecting the First Amendment rights of student journalists are moving through statehouses than ever before, according to a Student Press Law Center tally. The 11 bills are part of a nationwide effort to pass “New Voices” bills in state legislatures, which effectively counteract and clarify the limits of the 1988 Hazelwood School District… Continue reading A record number of states have introduced New Voices bills in 2019
Va. bill could restrict student journalists’ ability to survey classmates
The bill would require parents to approve any surveys asking students to provide “sexual information,” mental health information, medical information, student health risk information, information about drug use and other topics the school board deems “sensitive.”
Censored Ark. yearbook heads to the printer, but student editor says she'll continue fight
A censored version of Sheridan High School’s yearbook will be sent to the printer without the student profiles — including one of a gay student — that sparked a dispute between student editors and administrators.
Arkansas high school administration censors yearbook profile of gay student
Despite state law that protects student expression, administrators at an Arkansas high school are trying to pull student feature profiles from the yearbook.