2008 Woodie Awards
How the 'Grinch' stole student press rights
Chris Carter
Issue date:
1/29/08
Section:
Opinion
In January 2007, House Bill 1307, the most comprehensive student free press law in the country, was making its way through the House Committee on Judiciary only to be killed in the spring. Now, a year later, Senate Bill 6449 is giving student-press-rights proponents like myself, a new hope.
High schools in Washington state must still submit their student newspapers for review by their administration but since the Hazelwood decision in 1988, student media seems to face increasing censorship. Although there are principals across the nation who support their school newspapers, even more are afraid of it.
This unwarranted fear comes from the false understanding that student editors can't be trusted. The failure of HB 1307 was due in large part to the outcry from school administrators that such a bill would spur a number of lawsuits against school districts across the state regarding irresponsible student journalism.
Educational institutions whether public or private, secondary or higher, are here for the sole purpose of arming the leaders of tomorrow with the skills and tools they need. The future looks bleak if up-and-coming, eager journalists are stopped before the fruits of their labor can benefit anyone.
"I worry about a generation growing up without an appreciation of their constitutional rights and how to exercise those rights and responsibilities," said Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines), who introduced HB 1307 in last year's session. "One of the best ways to develop an appreciation of constitutional rights is to model and apply those constitutional freedoms in the school environment."
The freedom of speech is severely beaten and mangled once one enters the double doors on campus and this is only the beginning if a piece of legislation like SB 6449 can't make it into law. Civics classes are mandatory in Washington state high schools, but the lessons aren't being applied.
Student editors are fighting back slowly but surely even after the death of HB 1307. However, despite the efforts of a few, many more still find red tape tying their hands and covering their mouths without a championing attempt for freedom. Just recently, a local high school on the Kitsap Peninsula was unofficially prohibited from pursuing an article that would dispel rumors and disclose the facts of a personnel issue. The story was dropped with little resistance and became another casualty and loss for democracy.
High schools in Washington state must still submit their student newspapers for review by their administration but since the Hazelwood decision in 1988, student media seems to face increasing censorship. Although there are principals across the nation who support their school newspapers, even more are afraid of it.
This unwarranted fear comes from the false understanding that student editors can't be trusted. The failure of HB 1307 was due in large part to the outcry from school administrators that such a bill would spur a number of lawsuits against school districts across the state regarding irresponsible student journalism.
Educational institutions whether public or private, secondary or higher, are here for the sole purpose of arming the leaders of tomorrow with the skills and tools they need. The future looks bleak if up-and-coming, eager journalists are stopped before the fruits of their labor can benefit anyone.
"I worry about a generation growing up without an appreciation of their constitutional rights and how to exercise those rights and responsibilities," said Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines), who introduced HB 1307 in last year's session. "One of the best ways to develop an appreciation of constitutional rights is to model and apply those constitutional freedoms in the school environment."
The freedom of speech is severely beaten and mangled once one enters the double doors on campus and this is only the beginning if a piece of legislation like SB 6449 can't make it into law. Civics classes are mandatory in Washington state high schools, but the lessons aren't being applied.
Student editors are fighting back slowly but surely even after the death of HB 1307. However, despite the efforts of a few, many more still find red tape tying their hands and covering their mouths without a championing attempt for freedom. Just recently, a local high school on the Kitsap Peninsula was unofficially prohibited from pursuing an article that would dispel rumors and disclose the facts of a personnel issue. The story was dropped with little resistance and became another casualty and loss for democracy.
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