School-sponsored publications are a public forum for students as well as an educational activity through which students can gain experience in reporting, writing, editing and understanding responsible journalism. Because the Board recognizes creative student expression as an educational benefit of the school experience, it encourages freedom of speech, both oral and written, in a school setting with a degree of order in which proper learning can take place.
The Board encourages students to express their views in school-sponsored publications and to observe rules for responsible journalism. Expression which is: false or obscene, libelous, slanderous or defamatory under state law; which presents a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts; which is a violation of school rules or a material and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school; which violates the privacy rights of others; or which threatens violence to property or persons shall not be permitted.
Student editors of school-sponsored publications shall be responsible for determining the news, opinion and advertising content of their publications subject to the limitations of this policy and state law. The publications advisers within each school shall be responsible for supervising the production of school-sponsored publications and for teaching and encouraging free and responsible expression and professional standards of journalism.
When participation in a school-sponsored publication is part of a school class or activity for which grades or school credit are given, the publications advisers shall have authority to establish or limit writing assignments for students working with publications and to otherwise direct and control the learning experience that publications are intended to provide.
The Superintendent shall develop, for approval by the Board, a written official school publications code which shall include:
Adoption Date: October 10, 2000
Last Revised: September 11, 2000
- A statement of the purposes of official school publications;
- Responsibilities of official school publications' advisers and student editors;
- Guidelines identifying restrictions on freedom of speech defined in state law;
- Reasonable provisions for the time, place and manner of distributing school-sponsored student publications within the jurisdiction of the school district;
- Procedures for resolving differences between students and school officials over issues of censorship.
| Cross References: | JICED - Student Expression Rights |