Free Press School Newspaper
Students or School?
The Frod
Student newspapers. You always think of the smartly named newspaper with a cartoon mascot on the front filled with student written and edited stories. Colorful front and lively stories. Basically the school’s essence; is it really the student’s?
Hazelwood; The Wall
I bet you think students completely run the school newspaper, but that’s not the case. Hazelwood,a law that gives high school officials to edit most forms of students media, including newspapers. That means a perfectly good copy of a newspaper could be torn apart or strongly re-edited if a school official thinks it’s bias or inappropriate. I agree that sometimes students get carried away with material that can get inappropriate, but many educators agree that the students need to share their unique opinions; but will that really happen with Hazelwood?
Rejection
Students who decided to take part in the journalism class in Hazelwood East High didn’t prepare for two of their stories to be torn out. Apparently the school thought the two articles were inappropriate for minors. Though the names were changed to provide protection, the stuck up school couldn’t see through. Because of the rush to get the newspaper out before the end of the year, the multiple pages containing the articles were ripped out. Think about it, pages of idealistic stories were crushed because they contained parts of two “inappropriate” stories. What kind of people can do this with a straight face?We have the first amendment right to publish!And do it proudly!
The Reality
Even though not all schools are affected by Hazelwood some censor newspapers anyway. Though they can get away with this horrible crime; taking away a student’s opinion. The students just go along because they know the risk is too great.Private schools are not affected by Hazelwood, but can censor if the want. What kind of world do we live in where students cannot share their unique opinions and idea to help them grow in creativity, knowledge, and perspective. Where they are silenced because they simply “put the school in a bad light. ”We the students should be able to show our opinions boldly, but will we ever really be able to go uncensored? I mean, students won’t ever know how to stand up for their beliefs if they can’t start now.Others should know! Will we have that right? Have we ever been uncensored? Or has it been run by the school this whole entire time?
Interview with Kale, Emery, Greyson
Kale:"Yes I think students should have the choice to publish what they want.Because if you spend so much time on something and it gets thrown away you've wasted your time."
Q:Do you think that the first amendment right gives students permission to print the newspaper however they want? Explain.
Greyson:"Ya.Because people should be able to do whatever they want."
Q:How would you feel if you wrote a newspaper,and then the school threw away the great article because they didn't like or approve it that you took the time to write?
Emery: I would feel angry because I have the right to write whatever i feel appropriate.