Center for Scholastic Journalism

JEASPRC.org:
Tomorrow’s Nellie Bly may be working on student media today

If one of journalism’s jobs is to give voice to the voiceless, we should pay close attention to women in the field, especially in March, which is Women’s History Month.

This is a good time, according to the special website of the Library of Congress and other entities in Washington, D.C., to “commemorate and encourage the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women….”

What female journalists come to mind? Possibly historical figures like Nellie Bly, really named Elizabeth Jane Cochran, who broke the record of Jules Verne’s fictional character and went around the world in 72 (not 80) days. But she also wrote about issues no one spoke oft at the time: bad conditions for women in factories and abuse from male family members. Such subjects meant the Pittsburgh Dispatch, where she worked at the time, lost advertisers, so her editor let her only write about fashion and social events. For more: https://jeasprc.org/tomorrows-nellie-bly-may-be-working-on-student-media-today/

Tomorrow’s Nellie Bly may be working on student media today Two high school students, participants in the Dow Jones News Fund workshop at Kent State University in 2001, interview each other for the first story they had to write. Getting an early start …

Journalism really does teach it all!

Political attacks on media should concern student journalists by Stan Zoller, MJE The cantankerous tone and rhetoric of the 2016 presidential primary races has raised more than a few eyebrows. That’s not breaking news. What may be of note for journalists, and…

Can you imagine teaching and advising a scholastic journalism program without putting the rules of the road first?

While students are infatuated and seemingly obsessed with online and social media, the essential fundamentals of journalism – including laws and ethics – need to, as “boring” as they may be, need to a dominant part of any education curriculum.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/the-rules-of-the-journalistic-road-start-with-law-and-ethics/

The rules of the journalistic road start with law and ethics by Stan Zoller, MJE Once a week I find myself at the lo…

At least two schools this winter have had issues with reporting about s*x. Newbury Park High, California, and Rochester, Michigan, experienced complaints not only about the content but about images used in their coverage.

A SPLC article published March 20 looks at both events and the resulting concerns, and is worth your reading. The article also contains important links to additional information.

For more: http://jeasprc.org/thinking-of-reporting-s*x-related-issues-some-thoughts-on-handling-controversy/

Thinking of reporting s*x-related issues? Some thoughts on handling controversy At least two schools this winter have had issues with r…

by Candace Bowen
Including a mission statement and other policy points on the newspaper’s editorial page or inside a newsmag front cover is pretty standard, but where does that info go on a website? From recent experience judging state competitions, it seems some staffs really aren’t sure.

For more: http://jeasprc.org/websites-should-post-policies-procedures-too/

Websites should post policies, procedures, too Including a mission statement and other policy points o…

JEA's Scholastic Press Rights Committee just added 10 new Press Rights Minutes, bringing the total to 30 available for class and activity use.

For more: http://jeasprc.org/check-out-our-new-press-rights-minutes/

Check out our new Press Rights Minutes JEA's Scholastic Press Rights Committee just added 10 n…

CSJ hosted the Press Rights Committee in Franklin Hall during its three-day retreat.

Volunteers collaborate on a new Scholastic Press Rights package on ethical guidelines and staff manual resources.

Making a Difference: In celebration of the anniversary of the February 25, 1969, United States Supreme Court Tinker vs. Des Moines, the JEA SPRC Making a Difference project salutes the Foothills Dragon Press at Foothills Technical High School in Ventura (Calif.) for their support of fellow student journalists across country at the Playwickian, at Neshaminy High School (Pa.).

For more: http://jeasprc.org/students-support-peers-across-the-country-in-censorship-case/

Students support peers across the country in censorship case Part four of a series - Making a Difference In celebrat…

Seven schools win FAPFA award
A committee with representatives from the Journalism Education Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society is pleased to announce the winners of the 2015 First Amendment Press Freedom Award.

For more: http://jeasprc.org/seven-schools-win-first-amendment-press-freedom-award/

Seven schools win First Amendment Press Freedom Award A committee with representatives from the Journalism Ed…

by Stan Zoller
The First Amendment guarantees five freedoms: freedom of religion, speech, press, the right to assemble and the right to petition.

And while journalists – whether student journalists or professional journalists – wrap themselves in the security blanket afforded Americans by the First Amendment, it does not guarantee good journalism.

What does help, and this is not breaking news, is for news organizations, student or otherwise, to check the pulse of their news consumers; in other words, localize national news stories trend stories.

It’s not rocket science and it just makes sense.

Unless you’re in New Hampshire.

For more: http://jeasprc.org/new-hampshire-bill-may-do-more-than-control-surveys/

New Hampshire bill may do more than control surveys by Stan Zoller The First Amendment guarantees five free…

by Candace Perkins Bowen
“You mean my students’ newspaper can’t win the top award? Just because I read their publication before it goes to press?” an irate principal asked when he called his state’s scholastic press association a few years ago. Well, not exactly, but in a way – yes.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/contests-can-help-promote-students-making-decisions/

Contests can help promote students making decisions “You mean my students’ newspaper can’t win the top awar…

An article in the Washington Times titled "Liberals' worst nightmare: South Carolina schools move toward pro-gun curriculum," caught our attention tonight.

SC Rep. Alan Clemmons' proposal would allow, according to the Washington Times, "reasonable pro-gun expression by students." The proposal would require instruction on the right to bare arms for at least three consecutive weeks in the school year.

We applaud a legislator farsighted enough to want students to be aware of the Constitution and to apply its tenets.

We just think he started the process one too late.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/our-best-dream-start-from-the-beginning/

Our best dream: start from the beginning An article in the Washington Times titled "Liberals' wo…

The deadline is approaching for application for this year’s First Amendment Press Freedom Award (FAPFA). If your staffs have received a Pacemaker or Gold Crown, FAPFA is the next logical step in recognizing journalistic excellence and practice of First Amendment guarantees.

In its 15th year, the recognition is designed to identify and recognize high schools that actively support and protect First Amendment rights of their students and teachers. The honor focuses on press freedoms.

The application can be completed by using a SurveyGizmo form. Deadline for submission is Dec. 15, 2014.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/december-15-deadline-for-fafpa-award-application/

December 15 deadline for FAFPA Award application by John Bowen The deadline is approaching for applicati…

Imagine if you will, that one day your administration comes in and without cause, dismantles your journalism classroom, publication office, and burns every copy of your newspaper and yearbook.

Then, without provocation or notice, the administration corralls your student media staff and yourself and threatens you with termination and your students with expulsion.

All because of who you were and the fact that you and your students advocated and used a voice.

Sound preposterous?
For more: http://jeasprc.org/broken-glass-should-serve-as-a-solemn-reminder/

'Broken Glass' should serve as a solemn reminder Lessons of Kristallnacht go beyond the history books by…

by John Bowen
Applications are now available for this year’s First Amendment Press Freedom Award (FAPFA).
In its 15th year, the recognition is designed to identify and recognize high schools that actively support and protect First Amendment rights of their students and teachers. The honor focuses on press freedoms.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/apply-now-for-national-first-amendment-award/

Apply now for national First Amendment award by John Bowen Applications are now available for this y…

by Candace Bowen
Sometimes it’s the bad things in life that help a person find a cause, a passion or a pathway. From a Pulitzer Prize-winner who sued his principal in the ‘70s to two teens, still closely involved in censorship issues at their own schools, those at the Student Press Law Center’s 40th anniversary dinner Oct. 16 heard stories every teen journalist and adviser should hear.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/embattled-editors-tell-their-powerful-stories-at-splc-dinner/

Embattled editors tell their powerful stories at SPLC dinner Sometimes it’s the bad things in life that help a perso…

Oct. 13, 1987 marked the U.S. Supreme Court's hearing the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier arguments that ultimately granted administrators the right to control content of high school media in limited situations.

Oct. 13, 2014 marks a time when 19 journalism organizations joined together to urge national groups of administrators and school boards to openly disavow actions of the Neshaminy (Pa.) Board of Education that even went beyond the constraints of Hazelwood in controlling content and punishing student journalists.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/19-journalism-groups-urge-administrator-organizations-to-disavow-neshaminy-board-punishment-of-paper-adviser-and-editor/

19 journalism groups urge administrator organizations to disavow Neshaminy board punishment of... Oct. 13, 1987 marked the U.S. Supreme Court's hearing t…

Oct. 7 is , a national event created by AEJMC.

The idea is to encourage everyone to engage with news issues and ideas with students, family and, well, everyone.

Let’s spend the day spreading the word about the banality of censorship, particularly that kind of destructive practice we have seen at Neshaminy High School, Highlands Regional High School, Fond du Lac High School and numerous others.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/on-news-engagement-day-lets-engage-others-with-news-about-censorship/

On news engagement day, let's engage others with news about censorship Oct. 7 is , a national event created…

A report from the American Library Association indicates Internet-filtering software blocks more content than required and deprives students of access to information and collaborative tools

Titled Fencing Out Knowledge: Impacts of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (C**A) 10 Years Later, the report also argues those children most affected are the poor, who might not otherwise have unfiltered Internet Access if they cannot access it at school.

JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee would like to see how journalism programs currently fare in today’s filtered high schools. Please complete our survey with your students searching the Internet themselves or interviewing their peers about Internet access to provide a look at the current impact of filtering.

We hope this survey will gather representative information to allow JEA and others to design strategies to help journalism programs work in a less filtered environment.

To obtain access to our survey, please go to:
http://jeasprc.org/what-s-being-banned-in-your-neighborhood-banned-websites-awareness-week-brings-chance-to-examine-extent-of-internet-filtering/

What 's being banned in your neighborhood? Banned Websites Awareness Week brings chance to... According to a new report from the American Library Ass…

by John Bowen
“For speech class, senior Dave Jennings needed to find information about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain,” Maggie Beckwith, senior reporter for the Lakewood Times, began her story on the effects of Internet filtering.

“I was trying to go to the Rolling Stone magazine web site to get lyrics” Jennings said. “I couldn’t get to anything.”

Later in the story, Beckwith quoted Judith Krug, director of the Office of Intellectual Freedom, a division of the American Library Association. “Administrators can say they are ‘protecting the children’ but no they not. Filters limit choices young people have in terms of accessing school work and pursuing their own intellectual curiosity.”

That was in 2002.

Beckwith went on to study journalism at Syracuse University and interned at the Student Press Law Center.

Internet filters continued blocking legitimate sites.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/internet-filters-what-do-they-really-block/

Internet filters: What do they really block? by John Bowen “For speech class, senior Dave Jennings n…

Internet filters: More than annoying by John Bowen To raise awareness of overly restrictive …

by John Bowen
It’s ironic that Sept. 17, a day mandated to honor the Constitution of the United States, also this year marks the 2-day suspension of Neshaminy adviser Tara Huber for what the board of education calls insubordination.

The board suspended her without pay for failing to stop students from defying its directive. Her crime: She did not censor her students’ actions, actions she had no part in and did not even know about.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/its-ironic/

It's ironic by John Bowen It’s ironic that Sept. 17, a day mandated…

Congratulations, Chris Waugaman, 2014 Kent State online graduate and the new Dow Jones News Fund High School Journalism Teacher of the Year. That means we have four instructors and two graduates who can claim that honor!

CD lessons are now available
by Lori Keekley
The Scholastic Press Rights Commission works to provide information and resources on legal and ethical issues to journalism students, teachers and administrators. SPRC members also work to promote the First Amendment rights of students across the nation, and is a commission of the Journalism Education Association.

We designed our Constitution Day lesson plans to help students celebrate the Constitution and Bill of Rights, as mandated by Congress. Legislation requires schools to offer lessons on the Constitution and how it affects all Americans. Our lesson plans emphasize the First Amendment and particularly the freedoms of speech and the press.
For more: http://jeasprc.org/constitution-day-lessons-and-activities-2014/

Constitution Day lessons and activities, 2014 by Lori Keekley The Scholastic Press Rights Commission …