Missouri Principal censors newspaper's articles about tattoos

Scott Hoover
Fused Sports Editor

Timberland High School Principal Winston Rogers is refusing to give the editors of the student publication an explanation for why he required replacement of a story in their paper that included ads and an article about tattoos.
The original layout included a student story and editorial, the story was on the topic of health risks concerning tattoos and the editorial talked about the certain meanings of tattoos. Also on the page were two tattoo parlor ads.
The principal reviewed the paper and flared all four aspects for changes. He requested that the students add quotes that portrayed the "conservative" viewpoint of the first article. Though the students made the required changes, ultimately only the ads were permitted to print.
Censorship can be a complicated dilemma for many high school publications. Some administrators feel that it is there duty to navigate the publications ideas sheltering there students from reality and the truth. This type of censorship is just delaying the inevitable and confusing the ill-informed. High school students are at a curious and adventurous age; students need to be aware of what the concerns are that involve their school and student publications are on the front line of the student media.
It is one thing for Principal Winston Rogers to censor an article concerning something that he feels is threatening the well being of his students but that’s just it, he doesn’t give any explanation why he is pulling the article from the newspaper. The editor-in-chief said that Rodgers only asked for the publication to “trust him” on his decision and that it was being cut because of ‘the principal’s discretion’.
Censorship is and will always be an ongoing problem. However, according to the Supreme Court’s decision in Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier over administrators’ censoring high school publications, “under the First Amendment, school officials can censor student newspapers when they can justify their decision by stating an educational purpose. Though, this decision does not allow school officials to censor articles wantonly or based on personal opinion.”
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