Standing Up for Student Media

By Shawn Healy

At the same time that Indiana high school journalism teacher Amy Sorrell is fighting to keep her job after publication of a pro-gay rights editorial in the student paper, Michigan joined Washington and Oregon in a growing wave of states considering legislation to strengthen student press rights. The bill would transfer editorial control to student journalists, similar to laws in six other states.

The relationship between student publications and administrators need not be adversarial as this article in the St. Johns Sun illustrates. The importance of teaching the tools of the journalistic trade is what matters most, along with allowing students to experience the trials and travails of journalism parallel to the the existence of a professional reporter.

All affected students are receiving a lesson in the First Amendment, for better or worse.