The saying goes, “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” Many student journalists say they are not willing to refrain from publishing articles that could upset their student governments. But when that same body is the one that provides some, if not all, of their funding, situations can get messy.
Tag: Spring 2003
Administrators crack down on student religious expression
Handing out candy canes before winter vacation did not lead to happy holidays for students in Massachusetts.
Seven members of Westfield High School's Life and Insight for Eternity Bible club were issued suspensions for distributing candy canes that carried religious messages and information about L.I.F.E.
Race-related material raises free-speech, ethical debate
The spring semester brought a slew of allegations of racism against student newspapers nationwide, adding to several controversies reported in the last year. Students responded to questionable coverage in a variety of ways, while newspaper staffers defended the spoofs, editorials and news stories that landed them under scrutiny.
Indie press assured of rights
Alternative, independent publications offer students new avenues to express their opinions and exercise their First Amendment rights.
Paper on hold, staff fired over satirical column
FLORIDA ' Stetson University administrators fired the entire student newspaper staff and suspended the paper's production because they said an April Fool's edition contained racist and sexist material.
Sad state of affairs
From billion dollar budget crises to orange alerts for homeland security, state legislators are busier than ever this session.
Thieves ‘trash-talk’ papers; editors want culprits bagged
In what has become a routine method of stifling the work of student journalists, thieves nationwide this spring stole and trashed thousands of copies of college newspapers.
Court: off-campus speech protected
PENNSYLVANIA ' A school district policy that allowed administrators to punish students for material they produced off-campus was declared unconstitutional Feb.
No one charged in taped theft
ILLINOIS ' Although editors obtained a security camera videotape of someone throwing away 50 copies of the January edition of The Leader, the student newspaper at Elmhurst College, no one is expected to be charged in the incident.
In January, editor in chief Cherie Getchell identified the person on tape as an assistant football coach.
Testing confidentiality in courts
It was a long time coming. First there were questions. Then negotiation attempts. Through it all, Pinchas Shapiro knew nothing could be said that would force him to disclose his confidential sources.