| Michael Heistand breaks down student press rights under Tinker v. Des Moines |
Last week I learned just how much I didn't know about the First
Amendment and how important it was for my students to understand those
specifics. To add insult to injury, I realized during today’s session just how
my ignorance of major student press cases affects my
student’s reporting practices.
While some fellows found Michael Heistand’s presentation a simple
review, the information I consumed was new knowledge. The Tinker and
Hazelwood decisions are two foundational cases that are vital to the function
of my growing program. When most of my peers mentioned the cases in
examples throughout our previous sessions I didn’t understand just how it
applied to me. Now, Heistand’s presentation made it all too real how
administrators can harp upon my students’ desire to report on things around
them.
At times I find it challenging to get my students to look at their
school with a critical eye. Some of my students prefer to do the surface
stories about events and classes while a handful of my students aren’t afraid
to ask the hard questions and dig a little deeper for the why. This is a
behavior I fully encourage and try to reproduce. Through
this curiosity students can educate and inform their student body in an
engaging way. But when controversial issues come into play, I can’t help but to
think how the decision reached in the Hazelwood case would halt their efforts.
Heistand’s presentation made it all too real how administrators can
overpower my students' First Amendment rights based on such subjective matters.
Determining what can be considered offensive journalism can become quite fickle
especially when it runs the risk of exposing the school's indiscretion. Now that I have a better understanding
of the power and legal challenges within student publications, my brand new Law of the Student Press textbook will become just as worn as my AP Stylebook within the
upcoming weeks.
Candace Bagwell
Heritage High School
Frisco, Texas
Candace, you are not alone. I realized today that allowing my principal to have prior review of our student newspaper is actually causing more harm than good. I can't wait to get back home and discuss my students' First Amendment rights with him.
ReplyDeleteGinny Miller
Tupelo High School
Tupelo, Mississippi
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm just glad that I now have a book and an organization to call. I didn't realize that a resource like that was available to me for free.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way during this session, Candace. I had not heard those cases before, and it is just as eye-opening as last week's information. Although I'm not going to be doing newspaper in the coming year, I see down the road that I may have it again. And this information does apply to yearbook, as well. Great photo, by the way!
ReplyDeleteSharon Northington
McCracken County High School
Paducah, Kentucky