In the state of Kansas, we have The Kansas Student Publications Act which broadly protects student journalists in the state’s public schools from the censorship of school principals, administrators, school boards, and even their classroom advisers. Which basically means we have the ability and right to write about whatever we feel deserves to get covered. As a collective staff, we shared why freedom of press is important to us. Members of the high school’s SPUB department share their perspective on the value of student free press.
“As a student journalist, it is important for me to voice my own opinions and choose what I want to write about. It’s unfathomable to even think about not having that right because you can write about topics that are sensitive, you can write about anything you want, and there’s no one censoring you. That is how things are changed — by the press. That was how the Constitution was implemented. I think that not having that right is crazy,” Callie Holmes, 12, online editor in chief, said.
“[Freedom of press] is important because we get to share not only our own voices through columns and reviews and spread the word about what we think but we also get to share other people who maybe are not in the place of being able to speak out on their own. We give them encouragement to tell their stories whether that be something very groundbreaking or something simple,” Ava Rushing, 11, website manager, said.
“Freedom of press is important to me because of the stories we have to tell as student journalists. We represent those who don’t necessarily have a voice. In the past, I’ve written several controversial stories or stories with more controversial topics that many people would tend to shy away from. Those stories have got to be told; just because it’s controversial doesn’t mean it should be silenced,” Faye Dent, 12, lead copy editor, said.
“Freedom of press is important to me as a student journalist because everyone should be able to speak on what they believe in and what they feel that needs to be brought to attention especially in school where we have a lot of bullying. There should be diversity highlighted in our news because not everyone is the same person, and we all have our different special things about us that make us us,” Ashlyn Watson, 12, reporter, said.
“If I didn’t have freedom of press, I wouldn’t be in SPUB,” Jordyn Vander Veur, 10, reporter, said.
“I wrote recently about marijuana, and it’s a pretty controversial topic; it’s a drug that’s illegal in our state, and it’s something that you probably wouldn’t have been able to write about. I wouldn’t have been able to write about it if we didn’t have free press,” Hannah Mueller, 11, copy editor, said.
In the state of Missouri, the Columbia school district implemented district-wide policy changes that affected the already limited student press rights. Missouri is a Hazelwood state which means their student press is already subject to censorship. Missouri is one of 33 states that does not protect student free press. Bronco reporters share how they would respond if they were put in the same situation as the Columbia reporters.
“I think that [the Columbia district] goes against everything this country was built upon. If that happened to us, I would be kind of mad because that is the freedom of press; that’s a constitutional right. That’s not teaching children to grow up and voice their opinions; that’s teaching them to censor it. I don’t think that’s a good look on the Missouri school district,” Holmes said.
“[I would feel] very restricted and silenced [if I was in the Columbian school district]. I would be shielded from what I want to say and what I want to show,” Kayley Tran, 10, reporter, said.
“It would be suffocating, I think is the best way to put it, like just not being able to work on your passion. If that’s really something you love and care about, just not being able to do your craft. It would just be suffocating. There’s nothing you can do about it because the school district is in their legal rights, but you know it’s wrong and there’s nothing you can do,” Dylan Estes, 10, reporter, said.
“I think I would be a little discouraged because of the fact that I can’t exactly get everything that I want to get done. So, I would just find other ways to modify it but still be within the legal rights. I would be discouraged a little bit but [I would] still keep going,” Jayden Crim, 11, reporter, said.
SPUB reporters also spoke about why freedom of press is so important in USD 230. Thanks to the aforementioned law, Kansas student journalists are protected in much the same way professional journalists are, but Bronco journalists can still experience pushback from peers and the community after publishing certain stories.
“Freedom of press is so important in our specific school because it is a basic, fundamental right. You can’t strip that right away; it’s just not that easy or fair. History is cyclical, you know? When has taking away or limiting a fundamental right ever gone well for someone? It would be suffocating to have my work and creativity stifled,” Dent said.
“I feel like people, and students are included in that, they should have the right to be able to speak their mind, write what they want, and cover things and topics that are important to them or their audience,” Kathlyn Tran, 11, copy editor, said.
“[If I was in the Columbia student situation,] I wouldn’t know what to do. I wouldn’t be able to write what I write now because I know the chances of my story getting taken down are way higher. That’s actually insane; I could never imagine spending so much time and so much effort on a story,” Halana Charity, 10, reporter, said.
“I feel like we have that freedom and that right for a reason, and at that point, there is no need for news, there’s no need for stories, because they’re all positive. Yes, it is really cool to have positive stories, but I’m not going to lie, life’s not positive,” Brynna Pierson, 11, graphics manager, said.
“[I would] not appreciate having my right to write whatever I want without having judgment on it. I feel like you should be able to write whatever you want without having the fear of being talked down to, or being told ‘You can’t do this.’ That’s not really what’s supposed to happen, and I don’t think it’s fair to the kids who’ve worked so hard to get where they are now, [just for it] to get taken away from them. I think they should be able to have what we have. I don’t think it’s fair for them to have to be criticized on what they can and can’t do in their own school,” Shelby Hatcher, 11, gallery manager, said.
The Bronco staff, as a whole, believes that freedom of press is a fundamental right especially as student journalists. Taking away such an important level of freedom just isn’t okay. The protections we have as student journalists in the state of Kansas should be widespread to all student journalists because journalism is important. Journalism isn’t ever going to be perfect, but censorship of what is true will only ever limit society’s knowledge.
