In Appreciation for Those Who Respect First Amendment Rights For High School Students...

Belle Kim

In Washington, student editors at three Puyallup School District high schools are pushing to establish a publications policy that doesn’t include prior review. In Emerald Ridge High School newspaper, JagWire, an empty space was published that states, “This story has been censored.” The absent story covered a lawsuit between four students, who claimed they didn’t give consent to JagWire to print personal information about them in a February 2008 article, and the school district. The writer of the said article decided that she would withhold her story when Mike Patterson, an attorney representing the district in the lawsuit, prior reviewed it and demanded that changes are made. The staffers then emailed Superintendent Tony Apostle and school board members on their proposal to work together to create a new publications policy. Apostle told them that he would be willing to work with them only if their parents agreed to accept financial responsibility for the student publications. The students are willing to make the agreement if doing so will allow them to return to an open forum status and a publications policy without prior review and prior restraint.

Whenever I read stories like this in www.splc.org, I always become very indignant that the rights of these students as journalists to pursue the truth and educate their readers are so blatantly ignored. High school is supposed to prepare us for the real world; well, in the real world, or in the United States, at least, there is supposed to be no such thing as prior review or restraint or censorship.

I also think about how lucky I am to be attending a school in which the adviser, principal, superintendent, and board members don’t feel it is necessary to control a student publication. They are always supportive of us and respect our rights to cover whatever we feel is newsworthy. Even if we choose to write stories in which they are presented in bad lights, they understand the value of the First Amendment and the importance of good journalism.

Because of my experiences at North, I believe I am prepared to advance out into the world as a serious journalist who uncovers social injustices and corruption and brings about positive change. I will have a significant advantage over those students whose school districts are much less open-minded. When I think about this, I feel extremely grateful to everyone at MCCSC for making it possible for me to pursue good education.