6145.3

Instruction

Student Publications

Student publications are important elements of the instructional program and contribute directly to the accomplishment of the school’s goals.  The Board of Education shall encourage the development of school newspapers at the middle school level.

Freedom of speech and of expression in student publications as guaranteed by the First Amendment is to be observed scrupulously by the administration, faculty and students. 

(cf. 5145.2 – Freedom of Speech/Expression)

(cf. 6144 – Controversial Issues)

Legal Reference:     Eisner v Stamford Board of Education, 440 F. 2d 803 (2nd Cir 1971)

  Trachtman v Anker, 563 F. 2d 512 (2nd Cir. 1977) cert. denied, 435 U.S. 925 (1978).

Policy Adopted: 12/13/10

Official Student Newspaper  The purposes of the official student newspaper are:

A.  teaching writing and other journalistic skills;

B.  providing a forum for opinions of students, school staff, and members of the community;

C.  serving the entire school by reporting school activities.

Rights of Student Journalists:

A.  To print factual articles dealing with topics of interest to the student writers;

B.  To print, on the editorial page, opinions on any topic, whether school related or not, which students feel are of interest to themselves or to the readers.

Responsibilities of Student Journalists:

A.  To submit copy that conforms to good journalistic writing style;

B.  To rewrite stories, as required by the journalism advisor, to improve journalistic structure, sentence structure, grammar, spelling, and punctuation;

C.  To check facts and verify quotes;

D.  For editorials on controversial issues, to provide space for rebuttals, in the same issue if possible, but otherwise no later than the following issue;

E.  Subject to specific limitations in these guidelines, to determine the contents of official student newspapers.

Material Not Permitted in Official School Newspapers:

A.  Material which is libelous or which violates the rights of privacy;

B.  Profanity - defined as the language which would not be used in The Hartford Courant or the New York Times;

C.  Material which criticizes or demeans any race, religion, sex, or ethnic group;

D.  Ads for cigarettes, liquor, or any other product not conducive to good health.

E.  Any material, the publication of which would cause substantial disruption of the school. Substantial disruption is the threat of physical violence in the school or nearby communityand/or the disruption of the school's educational program;

F.  Endorsements of political candidates or ballot measures, whether such endorsements are made via editorial, articles, letter, or photograph cartoon. The newspaper may, however,  publish “fact sheet”' on candidates and ballot measures, provided such articles do not endorse any person or position, and provided equal space is given to all candidates for a  particular office or to both sides of a ballot measure.

Legal Reference:   Eisner v Stamford Board of Education, 440 F. 2d 803 (2nd Cir      1971)

Trachtman v Anker, 563 F.2d 512 (2nd Cir. 1977)  cert.denied, 435 U.S.  925 (1978)

Regulation approved:7/11/05