Student Press and the Law

The Student Press Law Center turned out to be a good friend during my first year as adviser. The first issue of our paper was censored regarding the firing of the previous administration. I decided to pay the membership fee (retainer) of the SPLC. Once the class went through the benefits of membership, students became more comfortable about their purpose.

I also found a good curriculum titled "Your First Amendment is Showing" which you can download with the link. You can share the curriculum with the social science teachers.

I. The Five Freedoms of the First Amendment

II. Journalistic Ethics/Rights and Responsibilities

III. Journalism Basics

IV. Viewpoints and Editorials

V. Editorial Cartoons

VI. Additional Resources

I found the curriculum, along with the SPLC lessons and handouts, extremely helpful to allay concerns from the newspaper staff. To be censored so early in the year set a bad tone, and I felt that these resources moved us into a more positive direction.

Al Schleicher
Los Angeles Leadership Academy
Los Angeles, California