Underground papers also fall prey to censorship

In light of the widespread censorship and restrictions placed on them by administrators, sometimes student journalists who seek free expression are left with no other choice but to ignore school-sponsored publications altogether and establish independent newspapers.

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The advent of the Internet and widely available desktop publishing software has made the creation of independent student newspapers easier, but the task of distributing and promoting them can still be daunting for students in restrictive school districts.

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Three students at Ashland High School in Massachusetts had difficulty getting their underground publication The Real Deal off the ground, but their perseverance at attempting to distribute the paper paid off.

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Principal Shelley Marcus Cohen clamped down on distribution when editors Jon Rosenblum, Jon Turner and Alan Weene handed out the first issue in December.

Image Control

School administrators all over the country have hacked away at student free expression in the guise of "protecting" the local community from exposure to offensive opinions or controversial topics in school newspapers.

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Whether in the context of student papers seen by members of the wider community, or that of student newspapers printed as supplements to a local paper, administrators are far more likely to censor news that goes beyond the schoolhouse gate.