Students may produce official school publications as part of the curriculum under the supervision of a faculty advisor and the principal. Official school publications include material produced in the journalism, newspaper, yearbook or writing classes and distributed to the student body either free or for a fee.
Any expressions made by students in the exercise of free speech, including student expression in official school publications, is not an expression of official school policy. The District, the Board, and the District employees or officials are not liable in any civil or criminal action for any student expression made or published by students, unless the District employees or officials have interfered with or altered the content of the student speech or expression. The liability, if any, is only to the extent of the interference or alteration of the speech or expression.
Official school publications are free from prior restraint by District employees or officials except as provided by law. A faculty advisor shall supervise student writers to maintain professional standards of English and journalism and to comply with the law including, but not limited to, the restrictions against unlawful speech. The production of official school publications shall be guided by the law and by the ethical standards adopted by professional associations of societies of journalism.
Persons, other than students, who believe they have been aggrieved by student expression in a student-produced official school publication will follow the grievance procedure outlined in this policy manual. Students who believe their freedom of expression in a student-produced official school publication has been restricted will follow the grievance procedure outlined in this policy manual.
The superintendent is responsible for developing a student publications code. This code will include, but not be limited to, reasonable rules including time, place, and manner of restrictions. The superintendent will also be responsible for distributing this policy and the student publications code to the students and their parents.
552.1 Student Publications Code
A. Official School Publications
- An “official school publication” is material produced by students in the journalism, newspaper, yearbook or writing classes and distributed to students either free or for a fee.
B. Expression in an Official School Publication
- No student will express, publish or distribute in an official school publication material which is:
a. obscene;
b. libelous;
c. slanderous; or
d. encourages students to:
i. commit unlawful acts;
ii. violate school rules;
iii. cause the material and substantial disruption of the orderly and efficient operation of the school or school activity;
iv. disrupt or interfere with the education program;
v. interrupt the maintenance of a disciplined atmosphere; or
vi. infringe on the rights of others.
2. Official school publications are produced under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
C. Responsibilities of Students
- Students writing or editing official school publications will assign and edit the news, editorial, and feature contents of the official school publications subject to the limitations of the student publications code and the law.
- Students will strive to achieve professional standards of accuracy, fairness, objectivity, and thoroughness in each and every aspect of official school publications.
- Students will strive to achieve professional standards of grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling for clarity and accuracy of official school publications.
D. Responsibilities of Faculty Advisors
- Faculty advisors will supervise student writers to maintain professional standards of English and journalism and to comply with the law including, but not limited to, the restrictions against unlawful speech.
E. Liability
- Student expression in an official school publication will not be deemed to be an expression of the school District. The school District, the Board, and the employees or officials are not liable in any civil or criminal action for any student expression made or published by students unless the employees or officials have interfered with or altered the content of the student expression. The liability, if any, is only to the extent of interference or alteration of the speech or expression.
F. Appeal Procedure
- Students who believe they have been unreasonably restricted in their exercise of expression in an official student publication will seek review of the decision through the student grievance procedure.
- Persons who believe they have been aggrieved by a student-produced official student publication will file their complaint through the citizen grievance procedure.
G. Time, Place and Manner of Restrictions on Official School Publications
- Official student publications may be distributed in a reasonable manner on or off school premises.
- Distribution in a reasonable manner will not encourage students to:
- commit unlawful acts;
- violate school rules;
- cause the material and substantial disruption of the orderly and efficient operation of the school or school activity;
- disrupt or interfere with the education program;
- interrupt the maintenance of a disciplined atmosphere; or
- infringe on the rights of others.