The document discusses developing strong foundations for student media through establishing editorial policies, ethical guidelines, and staff manuals. It emphasizes that these foundational documents are important for consistency and can impact the success of the student media. It provides examples of effective board-level and media-level policy structures and language to establish student media as designated public forums protected by the First Amendment where students make final content decisions without prior review.

1. Developing a Foundation
No matter what platform you use, the choice
of an editorial policy, ethical guidelines and
staff manual can make or break your student
media – and consistency is very important.
What you select, and why, does make a
difference.

2. Worth repeating
No matter what platform you use, the choice of an
editorial policy, ethical guidelines and staff manual
can make or break your student media – and
consistency is very important. What you select, and
why, does make a difference.
In part this is true as our journalistic roles change to
include: Authenticator, Sense Maker, Investigator,
Witness Bearer, Empowerer, Smart Aggregator, Forum
Organizer, Role Model.

3. Why is this important?
The publications shall be free or profanity, vulgarity, and
words which have acquired undesirable meanings, as
judged by generally accepted standards of the community;
shall contain no statements derisive to any race, religion or
national origin; shall show no disrespect for law
enforcement or the generally accepted ethics of the
community; shall not advocate illegal acts of any kind.
To maintain integrity, they shall not become involved in, or
take sides with, rivalries or jealousies within the school
community
Another said The XXXX follows guidelines set by the SPLC
Code of Ethics; another forbid anything inappropriate to
the community.

4. Before your year begins
Outline goals and mission for your student media
Train your editors and staff in legal principles across
platforms
Ensure board- and/or media-level policies are in place
Train editors and staff in ethical principles across
platforms

5. Before your year begins
Establish, for online or print, a content verification
process
Clarify who owns the content
Develop guidelines for handling takedown demands
All these are part of developing a foundation of good
journalistic practices, beginning with editorial policies

6. What is a policy?
A broad set of principles that consistently guide the
actions of all student media at your school and the
working process of the staff.

7. Board-level policy
A board-level policy states the board’s intent toward
student media. It should not be changed or updated
yearly. Compare it to the Constitution. Amendments are
few, but significant and done for a conceptual reason.
Board-level policies – the best and most binding on
administrators. It reflects the “by policy” of
Hazelwood’s by policy or practice.

8. Media-level policy
Media policy establishes the working principles of
student media. It can support a board policy or stand
alone. It should be at least reviewed yearly to establish
it is an active working document.
Media level policies – May exist without a board level
policy. It reflects the “by practice” of Hazelwood’s by
policy or practice.

9. Additional notes
Neither of the policy approaches, board- or media-
level, recommend mixing ethical guidelines or staff
manual language.
Keeping policies and ethics-manual language
separate avoids confusion and misunderstanding.
Ethics principles should be separate sections of the
package so not to be misinterpreted as policy..
Staff manuals would also have separate sections of
the package so not to be misinterpreted as policy. Do
not mix these procedures with policy.

10. What must be in a good policy?
Status of forum: Designated public forum for student
expression without prior review by school officials
Prior review: School officials do not exercise prior
review. Advisers can review and assist, but …
Final decisions: Students make all final decisions of
content

11. Why not more?
Board level policies establish the general statement of
the board of education.
You do not want them playing with things like letters
to the editor or how you decide to report death.
Those are best positioned in media-level
documents/staff manuals/staff box statements
changeable only by the student staff and as regularly
as it chooses.

12. The media-level policy
statement
The basic statement should be the same: student
media are designated public forums in which
students make all decisions of content without prior
review by school officials.
Other points like letters policy, covering death,
advertising policy, takedown policy, use of others’
images, content ownership, photo manipulation and
comments policy can be part of the media-level
policy statement but not the board-level for the
reasons mentioned earlier.

13. Why designated?
We add the word designated to all policies, those
approved by your boards of education and those that,
essentially, guide your practice and are not board
approved.
The argument goes this way: so long as the board
does not act to tell you your student media are not
public forums for student expression, and allow you
to operate as one, you are one.

14. Why not open?
We prefer the phrase designated public forums for
student expression instead of open forums because
the term open can lead to an opponent of your forum
arguing open suggests chaos and anything goes.
That is not what you want, or mean, so you cut off
the argument early.
Designated forum: This language (designated forum
in policy or practice) should be included in policies at
board or publication level because all public forums
are designated either by action or inaction (unless the
board clearly says otherwise). Being silent as students
operate as a forum is really permitting a designated
forum.

15. So what is the best wording?
We have three models for the board policy
statements:

16. Model 1
[NAME OF SCHOOL] student media are designated
public forums in which students make all decisions
of content without prior review by school officials.
Comment: This contains only the basic statement of
journalistic responsibility. It is usable at the board
level to outline the basic principles of external
oversight, leaving the process to other internal
packages, like ethics guidelines and staff manuals.
This removes from consideration the possibility of
board attempts to change process-oriented direction.

17. Model 1
[NAME OF SCHOOL] student media are designated
public forums in which students make all decisions
of content without prior review by school officials.
A short statement like this clearly establishes the
principles and responsibilities that guide all other
statements. With no prior review added to it, it has
the three crucial points in a policy: (1) designated
public forum status in which (2) students make all
final decisions regarding content and (3) do so
without prior review.
Decisions on matters such as letters, bylines, staff
disciplinary actions, coverage of death and more are
best detailed in ethical guidelines and staff manuals.

18. Model 2
[NAME OF SCHOOL] student media are designated
public forums in which students make all decisions of
content without prior review from school officials.
Freedom of expression and press freedom are
fundamental values in a democratic society. The
mission of any institution committed to preparing
productive citizens must include teaching these values
and providing a venue for students to practice these
values, both by lesson and by example.
As preservers of democracy, our schools shall protect,
encourage and enhance free speech and the exchange
of ideas as a means of protecting our American way of
life.

19. Model 2
[NAME OF MEDIA] and its staff are protected by and
bound to the principles of the First Amendment and
other protections and limitations afforded by the
Constitution and the various laws and court
decisions implementing those principles.

20. Comments:
Comment: Again, this board-level model policy
removes process details from being points of board
action or meddling. It also introduces educational and
philosophical language to give administrators insight
into and understanding of why student media do
what they do. It can aid in community understanding
and support of the forum process.
This policy is slightly longer because it adds
philosophical wording to support the decision-making
without review. This policy could be effective at the
board level because it allows others points to be
explained in the ethics guidelines and staff manuals.

21. Model 3
Freedom of expression and press freedom are
fundamental values in a democratic society.
The mission of any institution committed to preparing
productive citizens must include teaching students
these values, both by lesson and by example.
For these purposes, as well as to teach students
responsibility by empowering them to make and
defend their own decisions, school-sponsored student
news media at [NAME OF SCHOOL] are established as
designated public forums for student expression in
which students make all final decisions of content.

22. Model 3 continued
Such news media will not be reviewed by school
officials outside the adviser in his/her coaching role or
restrained by school officials prior to, during, or after
publication or distribution.
Therefore, material published in school-sponsored
news media may not necessarily reflect the opinions
or policies of the [NAME OF SCHOOL] District, and
neither school officials nor the school are legally
responsible for their content.
Students are protected by and bound to the principles
of the First Amendment and other protections and
limitations afforded by the U.S. Constitution and the
various court decisions reaffirming those principles.

23. Comments:
Comment: This is the same as model two but also
includes a statement that student media do not
intend to reflect the opinions of school authorities.
Like model two, this model addresses the educational
value of student media and attaches these issues to
legal language. The three essential points made in
earlier models appear here as well.

24. Questions?
In addition to the three noted, the SPLC Model Policy
is a possible board-level policy
Any of our three would be satisfactory, basic positions
includable in media-level policies.

25. What do we mean by a forum?
Closed forum
Limited forum
Designated public forum for student expression
Forums by policy/forums by practice

26. What do we mean by a forum?
Closed forum, Limited forum, Designated public
forum for student expression, Forums by
policy/forums by practice
Do you know which type you are – and why?
Why is the designation important?
Hint: 2nd Circuit decision — Ithaca; Seattle; Dean and
Lange
New rule: include “designated public forum” & state
clearly that “students make all final decisions of
content” without prior review by school officials

27. Media-level policy statement
recommendations:
• Statement of mission and journalistic principles
• Statement of forum status/prior review
• Role of the publication/media
• Role of the adviser/school system

28. Media-level policy statement
recommendations:
• Rights and responsibilities of the student staff
• Who makes final decisions of all content
Things we once recommended for policy, but would
now move to media-level, ethics guidelines and/or
staff manual as well:
• Letters to the editor/comments guidelines,
advertisement policy, how to handle death reporting,
use of other’ images, photo-manipulation
• Takedown policy, who owns copyright/content

29. What do we mean by
responsibility?
A common phrase: journalists have to be responsible.
But what do you mean … and why?
How about journalistic responsibility?
Journalistic responsibility to whom, why and how.
Journalistic responsibility starts at the policy level and
is implemented at the ethics guideline level and staff
manual level.

30. What do we mean by
responsibility?
Who decides what this is?
To whom and why?
How to be achieved?

31. Wording to avoid:
“When questions
of good taste arise,
or those which
surpass social
norms of good taste
and decency, they
shall be resolved in
consultation with
the involved
reporter(s), the
managing editor,
the executive editor
and the advisers.”
“Material not
generally
acceptable
to this
community” or
“significant
minority or the
majority of the
community.”
“To create a
wholesome
school spirit
and to support
the best
traditions of the
school”
“ The XXXXXX adviser and/or
editors have the right to deny
publication of any editorial,
column, review, or comment.”
Wording like
publication is “an
open forum” but
superintendent has
final say, etc.
“Develop acceptable methods for
preserving the constitutional provision
for free speech.”
“Material that endorses any
candidate for public office or
takes a political stand on any
issue.”
To promote and
encourage school-
sponsored activities;
• To serve as public
relations media
To promote cooperation among
taxpayers, parents, the school and its
students

32. More to avoid:
Students make final decisions with help of adviser (or
similar wording).
XXXXXX will only publish content that is appropriate
for the high school readership and conforms to high
standards of journalistic integrity and ethical
awareness of its readership.

33. Practice
Students make final decisions with help of adviser (or
similar wording).

34. Practice
XXXXXX will only publish content that is appropriate
for the high school readership and conforms to high
standards of journalistic integrity and ethical
awareness of its readership.

35. Practice: Your turn
The primary goal is to deliver the news and provide
content deemed to be newsworthy, timely, and
ethical with regard to the XXXXX community.

36. Practice: Your turn
The primary goal is to deliver the news and provide
content deemed to be newsworthy, timely, and
ethical with regard to the XXXXX community.

37. Practice: Your turn
Student editors make the decisions with the help of
the adviser, assuming they meet the school and
district’s guidelines, and fall within the laws of (state
here) and the ethics of journalism.

38. Practice: Your turn
Student editors make the decisions with the help of
the adviser, assuming they meet the school and
district’s guidelines, and fall within the laws of (state
here) and the ethics of journalism.

39. Practice: Your turn
As an independent observer, the paper should use its
unique access to news and a broad perspective to
lead the school community toward constructive
accomplishments.
All published material shall conform to objectively
reasonable journalistic and literary standards relevant
to the particular publication for fact-checking,
objectivity, use of anonymous sources and other
ethical and/or stylistic matters.
If question on the veracity of publication persists, the
issue will be brought to the editorial board who must
consider the following questions before publication of
the piece.

40. Moved but important: Ethics
A good set of ethics guidelines is worth its weight in
gold.
But … not a part of the policy where some
administrator might try try to enforce it.
Why is this bad: ethics should be right v right
statements and guidelines, not measures for
discipline.
Where do ethics statements go: In a Ethical guidelines
manual, essentially a part of a strong Staff Manual.

41. What’s in a good staff
manual?
Anonymous sources
Ownership of
images/content
Inclusion of profanity
Advertising guidelines
Bylines and other story
presentation guidelines
Death coverage
Portrait guidelines
Letters-to-the-
editor/comments/Taked
own demands
Information gathering
processes (incl.
research/interviewing)

42. Ethics/manual: Profanity
Ethical guidelines
Profanity in student media should only be used after
careful consideration. While profanity is not illegal,
journalists should ask whether the use of profanity is
absolutely essential to the content and context of the
story. Will readers understand the story if the
profanity is not used? Some people will not read or
listen past any profanity. Students should consider
other ways to indicate whether a profanity is
intended without actually spelling it out (e.g. using
asterisks or other symbols).

43. Ethics/manual: Profanity
Staff manual process
Student editors should develop a case-by-case
process for deciding when to use profanity. Students
should consider criteria including whether the
language is in context and necessary for the story and
whether the profanity will overshadow the overall
content of the story.
Student media should be ready to justify their
decision with compelling reasoning before printing
profanity. In most cases, this means the staff editorial
board should carefully weigh the pros and cons and
consider all potential fallout.

44. Ethics/manual: Profanity
The staff manual should outline whether students will
provide an editor’s note alongside any content that
contains a profanity.
The staff manual should indicate whether students
will use an “Explicit content warning” to alert
readers/viewers to profanity (especially relevant in
the case of multimedia).

45. Ethics/manual: Providing
contextEthical guidelines
Journalists should present relevant information in
context so the audience has adequate information on
which to base decisions. Context is just as important
as factual accuracy and can help readers fully
understand an issue and its relevance to their daily
lives.

46. Ethics/manual: Providing
contextStaff manual process
Staff members should not only fact-check their
information but should also ask themselves questions
such as “What does this story mean to my readers?”
and “What do I want my readers to take away from
this information?” This means gathering not only the
5Ws and H but also connecting dots for readers by
helping them see related ideas, important
relationships or significant background information.
By assuming a topic is new to readers, editors can
revise from the perspective of the audience and look
for any holes that might be present.

47. Providing context
Suggestions
Writing checklists should address covering all 5Ws
and H. Training materials and checklists in the staff
manual also should address helping readers
understand what the information means and why it’s
significant.
Part of the process may including asking members
with no prior knowledge of a story to give feedback
before publication or airing on whether the
information provided is clear and paints a full picture
of what is happening.

48. Providing context
The staff manual should include material about how
to solicit feedback from readers about what kinds of
stories, details or information they need in order to
better understand school events or policies.
Student media staffs should label analysis/personal
perspective pieces so readers understand these are
not typical, straight news pieces

49. Moved but important:
takedown policy
Leave everything as is, if: the request is designed to
avoid embarrassment, image; truth; credibility; no
factual issue; historical record must be maintained
based on your mission.
Publish corrections, retractions or updates, if: info is
factually or legally deficient when published;
transparency of source inaccuracy; provide context
and perspective; clarify or update; gray area solved
by compromise.
Take down information, if: info is fabricated; to
protect sources; one-time reasons.

50. Consider this policy:
“XXXX is created by the XXXX City Schools and
published under the auspices of the Board of
Education. XXXX is a curriculum taken for academic
credit and has educational purposes as a regular
classroom activity. No material shall be considered for
publication that is libelous, obscene, profane, biased,
prejudiced, unsuitable for its readers, or that defames
character, encourages violation of laws or would
cause disruption or material interference with the
orderly operation and discipline of the school.”

51. Key words to note
“XXXX is created by the XXXX City Schools and
published under the auspices of the Board of
Education. XXXX is a curriculum taken for academic
credit and has educational purposes as a regular
classroom activity. No material shall be considered
for publication that is libelous, obscene, profane,
biased, prejudiced, unsuitable for its readers, or that
defames character, encourages violation of laws or
would cause disruption or material interference with
the orderly operation and discipline of the school.”

52. Where to find Foundations
infohttp://jeasprc.org/buildingfoundations/

53. Adviser Code of Ethics
• Model standards of professional journalistic conduct to
students, administrators and others
• Empower students to make decisions of style, structure
and content by creating a learning atmosphere where
students will actively practice critical thinking and
decision making
• Encourage students to seek out points of view and to
explore a variety of information sources in their decision
making

54. Adviser Code of Ethics
• Support and defend a free, robust and active forum for
student expression without prior review or restraint
• Emphasize the importance of accuracy, balance and
clarity in all aspects of news gathering and reporting
• Show trust in students as they carry out their
responsibilities by encouraging and supporting them in a
caring, learning environment
• Remain informed on press rights and responsibilities
• Advise, not act as censors or decisions makers

55. Adviser Code of Ethics
• Display professional and personal integrity in situations
which might be construed as potential conflicts of
interest
• Support free expression for others in local and larger
communities
• Model effective communications skills by continuously
updating knowledge of media education

56. Park package-editorial
The Echo, Echowan and 36 Literary Arts Magazine are the
official student-produced newspaper, yearbook and literary
magazine of St. Louis Park Senior High School.
The publications are designated forums for student
expression in which students make all decisions of content
without prior review from school officials. The adviser will
not act as a censor, but will advise students. Students have
the final decision on all content.
Because students learn more when they make publication
choices, prior review or restraint does not teach students to
produce higher quality journalism or to become engaged
and active citizens in a democracy.

57. Park package-editorial
The only way to teach students to take responsibility for
their decisions is to empower them to make those decisions
freely. Our democracy depends on students understanding
all voices have a right to be heard and knowing they have a
voice in their school and community.
Add something about the responsibility to be accurate,
complete and thorough that can only come with student
decision-making.

58. Park- ethical guides
Content represents views of the student staff and not school
officials. The publications will work to avoid bias and/or
favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content
meaningful and interesting to all our readers. In order to strive
for objectivity, journalists should avoid covering stories of which
they are involved. Journalists should avoid a real or perceived
conflict of interest as well.
The publications will not shy away from covering newsworthy
controversial issues of importance to students. Journalists
should work to cover these topics robustly. Reporting in
scholastic media that omits essential pieces of information
because of review or restraint is an indirect form of fabrication.
It destroys not only truth but credibility and reliability. We will
make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo
or is an invasion of privacy.

59. Park-staff manual
proceduresThe editorial board
The editorial board will consist of the editors of the
publications. The editors will ensure their voice represents
the student body through writing effective staff editorials
and features. Additionally, the editorial board should
discuss coverage concerns and should be mindful of
creating an inclusive environment for all staff members.
Image manipulation
The publications will avoid electronic manipulation that
alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly labeled as a
photo illustration. For the yearbook portraits, it is the
responsibility of the students and their parents to make
sure they have their picture taken from the official portrait
photographer for that grade.

60. Park-staff manual
proceduresStaff editorials
News publication staff editorials represent the opinion of
the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be
bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual
writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff
or administration as a whole

61. Park-manual-2+
Corrections
While journalists strive for accuracy, we know errors
can occur. In the event of an error being reported by
readers or noticed by staffers, students should first
check to see if the information is erroneous. If students
deem the material to be incorrect, they should alter any
online content to reflect the correction and then print a
correction in the next edition. Students should be
careful not to restate the error, but to correct the
erroneous information.

62. Park-manual-2+
Obituaries
In the event if the death of a student or staff member at
St. Louis Park High School, a standard, obituary-type
recognition will commemorate the deceased in the
newspaper and online news site. A school-portrait type
photo is preferable. A maximum one-fourth page
feature, or similar length for each obituary, should be
written by a staff member and placed on the website
within 24 hours and in the newspaper at the bottom of
page one. Web and print coverage should include
school and community reaction as it happens. For the
yearbook, if the fatality happens prior to final deadline,
the staff would include feature content as the editors
deem appropriate. For those unofficially affiliated with
the district, the editors-in-chief should determine
appropriate coverage, but should not include an official

63. Hopkins policy
The Royal Page is the official student-produced medium of news
and information published by Hopkins High School students.
We are a designated public forum by practice. The views
published are solely of the Royal Page students and student
journalists assume complete responsibility for our content.
Hopkins High School Administration does not review our
products prior to publication.
The Royal Page will not publish any material determined by
student editors or the student editorial board to be unprotected,
that is, material that is libelous, obscene, materially disruptive of
the school process, an unwarranted invasion of privacy or a
violation of copyright as defined by the Student Press Law
Center’s Law of the Student Press.

64. Hopkins-policy-2
We strive to educate and inform our readers through
telling accurate, credible and reliable stories
representing the diversity of our student body.
As preservers of democracy and the First
Amendment, we will use our free speech while
remaining free of bias. We have the right to ask
questions, communicate with other students and
individuals, use other media, and consult with
experts to produce the most complete piece of
work.
We hope to provide a voice for our student body and
be a vehicle of knowledge for our readers.