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conviction like a few others or because he comforting one. He was hired immediately,
5
needed work like still others, no. He applied because more censors are needed every day
simply in order to try to intercept his own and there’s no time to be squeamish about
letter, not at all an original idea, but a references.

e xtending beyond the te xt
extending beyond the text
Changing the World
Juan lives in a world where the government controls every aspect of communication. Read
the following news release about a group of high school journalists who fought back against
the censorship in their school.

from “Courage in Student Journalism Award” Goes To Burlington, Vermont High
School Editors Who Successfully Fought Censorship
Student Press Law Center
Students from Burlington, Vermont who broke a story about alleged inappropriate behavior
by a faculty member and triumphed over both censorship and prior review are being
honored with the “Courage in Student Journalism Award.”
“We fought back on a policy that restricted the rights of student journalism, keeping in
mind that the outcome of our battle would set a precedent for the future journalists of
Burlington,” Julia Shannon-Grillo and Jenna Peterson, Co-Editors-in-Chief of The BHS
Register, said in a brief statement this week.
“As a result, we were able to help write a new policy that allows us to be a reliable news
source for the community and protects the freedom of the student press.”
The BHS Register at Burlington High School broke the news of an investigation by the
Vermont Agency of Education into six counts of alleged unprofessional conduct by the
school’s director of guidance.
To confirm details, the young journalists filed a public records request with the state
agency. The day after the story was published online in September 2018, the school’s
then-interim principal ordered it to be taken down.
The BHS Register staff contacted the Student Press Law Center for legal guidance on how
to respond to the administrator’s action in light of a new state law that protects the basic First
Amendment rights of student journalists. […]
The students decided to keep links to their story up on social media that redirected
readers to a page that said: “This article has been censored by Burlington High School
administration.”
Outrage over the censorship spread. Many teachers, parents and community residents
publicly supported the right for the story to be published and multiple local and national
news organizations covered the incident.
Along with assistance from the Student Press Law Center, The BHS Register also received
steadfast support from the Vermont Press Association and the New England First Amendment
Coalition. The latter two groups released a statement condemning the censorship.
Explain what these students did to “change the world,” and consider what similar protections
your own school’s journalists might or might not have.

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Copyright © Bedford/St. Martin’s. Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample chapter.
Distributed by BFW Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.

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