PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO WRITE.

• Author: Grise, Chrisanne
• Position: NATIONAL

More states are acting to shield school newspapers from censorship. What's fueling the movement?

The student journalists at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Kansas, were suspicious. They had set out to profile a recently hired principal, Amy Robertson, for the school paper--but the details of her background, including where she earned her degrees, didn't add up.

The reporters met with superintendent Destry Brown about their concerns. He was supportive--so on a Friday night in March 2017, the paper published a story calling attention to the discrepancies. By Tuesday, Robertson had resigned "in the best interest of the district."

Many praised the students. "I believe strongly in our kids questioning things and not believing things just because an adult told them," Brown says.

The shocking report might never have made it to print if it weren't for the Kansas Student Publications Act, which grants students independent control over their editorial content, including material that paints an unflattering picture of a school. Similar laws now exist in 13 other states (see map, facing page).

In most areas of the country, though, the story might not have seen the light of day. But that could change. This year, 11 more states--including New York and Missouri--are debating or have already debated so-called New Voices laws that would guard school news publications against censorship.

"This movement has been growing," says Hadar Harris, executive director at the Student Press Law Center, "because of committed teachers and students who recognize the need to protect student journalists."

The Supreme Court

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of the press--but with school publications, it's more complicated.

In 1969, the Supreme Court ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District that students have the right to express opinions as long as they don't disturb the learning environment. But in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier in 1988, the Court decided that a Missouri school district had acted lawfully in removing a spread on divorce and teenage pregnancy from a student newspaper. (Student newspapers are more of an educational tool than a public forum, the ruling said.) Because of that, administrators are able to censor work that they consider controversial or poorly written in school publications.

"Since the Hazelwood decision was handed down, student journalists have had lesser protections under the First Amendment than other...