J-Ideas announces fund-raising campaign

Warren Watson, director, announced today the creation of an annual fund-raising campaign to support J-Ideas, Ball State’s scholastic journalism and First Amendment institute.

Parties are invited to give $25 or more to the J-Ideas Foundation to support future activities of the program. Donations are tax deductible. <more>

FIRST VOICES

watson

Little things mean a lot at the Newseum

Indianapolis Star column
by Warren Watson



J-Ideas Director Warren Watson blogs regularly for the Indianapolis Star. Here are his latest offerings:

Ignorance in Palin, Dowd free-speech remarks

The grace period is over from the November presidential election. Now, it's time to review the latest cases of ignorance about the First Amendment and how it fits into our lives. <more>

-Plainfield pays respect to First Amendment

-Banned Books Week

-Palin-tology

-New President must revive Constitution

-Traditional news misses Edwards escapade

-Protesters' rights fenced off

-Social networking pitfalls

-Bad year for traditional news gatherers

-Baseball and the First Amendment

-Principals and the First Amendment

-Remembering a crusader
-Photo ID law bad for voters
-Thoughts from the annual U.S. editors convention
-Need for print journalism remains

-Sunshine:now more than ever

-Mean-spirited fans

-Peter Jennings' legacy

-The First Amendment at the Alamo

-A New museum for news

-Author creates First Amendment 'primer'

-Unlikely First Amendment hero

-Harrison represented Hoosiers proudly

-Online course wraps for the fall

-Religious freedom for all

-Reading is FUN-damental
-Nothing negative
-Blogs grow in influence, but beware of anonymity

-Parent rides the bench after blog posting

-Student journalist's actions serves profession poorly

-Examining free speech online

-Remembering the courageous Elijah Parish Lovejoy


Archive

More First Thoughts: journalism teacher Tom Gayda speaks out

Student journalists scoop professional press
Gerry
By Gerry Appel

In an era where student journalists are often criticized for poor decision-making, one student newspaper should receive praise after scooping its professional counterparts. <more>

-Principal wrong in pulling paper

Mile high with the First Amendment...
swikle
By Randy Swikle

We were north of the Mile High City near the Rocky Mountains. The principals were voluntarily descending—not from the tall peaks but from their position abutting the summit of school hierarchy. When they reached level ground, we could see each other more clearly. And clear sight leads to insight. <more

 
 
   
     
     
     
 
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  Home > Public Policy> Support Advisers Send this article to a friend

Civic and journalism educators nationwide have mobilized to show their support for adviser protection:

“Without adviser protection, many advisers will hesitate to encourage some legitimate topics for publication because they are concerned about their own jobs. The result will be a form of censorship. However, as unintentional as that may be, it stifles the kind of First Amendment climate that allows students to express themselves freely and in the process learn how to become the kind of involved citizens a strong democracy requires.”   

 -- Diana Hadley
Executive Director
Indiana High School Press Association

"Any bill without adviser protection will be a shadow of what it should be. In California, the primary method for censoring students is the removal of the adviser."

-- Steve O'Donoghue
Director
 California Scholastic Journalism Initiative

"Advisers clearly need support because they can often be in a no-win situation--wanting to support their students, but feeling pressure to keep their jobs. Bottom line, we have to help them be able to do what they know is right."

-- Candace Perkins Bowen
Professor
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Kent State University

"One of the most common tactics school officials engage in today in attempting to censor student press is to threaten or remove an adviser because of what the students publish.  The only way student press freedom can truly be protected is if advisers know they will not be disciplined based on the projected content decisions their students make.  A provision protecting advisers has been in the books since 1992 in Kansas, and no one thinks it's a problem there.”

-- Mark Goodman
Executive Director
Student Press Law Center

“It would be too easy for a teacher to give in to an administrator and become that administrator's lapdog. We need strong journalism teachers who are not afraid of student expression, this would weaken the cause, not strengthen it.”

-- Cheryl Pell
Senior Faculty Specialist
Communication Arts & Sciences
Michigan State University

“The faculty adviser for a student newspaper is arguably the most vulnerable teacher in school regarding accountability. He is subordinate to the principal and expected to cooperate with that supervisor. But the adviser is also an advocate for student journalists and expected to protect their rights.

When an autocratic principal has an arbitrary attitude that collides with student press rights, the faculty adviser is caught in the middle. Always, the adviser must champion the law above his supervisor's demand for censorship if the law is on the students' side. To punish the adviser for prioritizing the law above a person (principal) should not put the adviser in jeopardy. By keeping HB 3279 intact, censorship issues may be resolved by using democratic strategies rather than the clout of authoritarian rule.

How can anyone justify the denial of protection for someone who advocates following the law?”

--Randy Swikle
Former Dow Jones Journalism Teacher of the Year

“As a publications adviser of student newspapers and yearbooks for 14 years, I believe it is essential that advisers have adequate protections. Let me be clear--I am an educator, not a censor. My students learn, practice, and master responsible journalism with my guidance and advice--they know their rights, but are also aware of the enormous responsibilities of their jobs.

The only way to ensure quality in student publications is to ensure that student journalists take complete ownership of their publications in choosing and developing story ideas, selecting content and coverage, and designing and producing their newspapers and yearbooks. … I am fortunate to teach in a school corporation and community with administrators and community members that respect my students' rights and work collaboratively to protect them and me. However, not all journalism teachers are as fortunate. I applaud the state of Oregon for ensuring that the First Amendment lives in all of their schools and communities across the state. I implore you to also ensure that your journalism teachers have equal protections as well. Trust me--your student journalists and their publications will be all the better for it.”

--Jim Lang
Publications Adviser
Floyd Central High School
Floyds Knobs, Indiana

 

 

 

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Review of Future of the First Amendment

Two Connecticut researchers have become synonymous with the problem of poor First Amendment awareness in the nation’s high schools.

Ken Dautrich and David Yalof, professors at the University of Connecticut and backed by the Knight Foundation, have logged thousands of miles nationwide in developing a series of studies and followups about the First Amendment. more

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SPLC Exec. Director talks to Ball State students about 'Digital Freedom'

IHSPA 2008 State Convention: The Convergention

Bloggers and Online News Users are Better Informed on First Amendment

Dautrich and Yalof Publish book on First Amendment

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Latest News

 
  High School Journalism Classes Threatened

 
  Penn. student unable to wear anti-terrorist shirt

 
  Group releases top 25 censored stories for '09

 
  Cigarettes banned in San Francisco pharmacies

 
  Student apologized to after dress-code punishment

 
  Celebrate Banned Books Week

 
  Video games "cultivate teen civic engagement"?

 
  Constitution Day Advice

 
  Educators promote Freedom of Speech

 
  GOP denies press access to youth media

 
  Cali passes bill protecting student-paper advisors

 
  Colleges have athletes monitor social networks

 
  Calif. advisor protection bill passes Assembly

 
  Shasta High paper reinstated

 
  Updated: Shasta High Volcano erupts

 
  Chicago Tribune to launch paper for HS students

 
  Yes, it was good for us, but also fun. Mostly

 
  Young adults 'bombarded' by facts and updates

 
  Censorship widening, experts say

 
  Logging on for the First Amendment

 
  High school dean sues over fake Facebook profile

 
  Offensive finger censored by WU yearbook publisher

 
  KPCC radio interviews J-Ideas education specialist

 
  Poynter offering job webinar

 
  Muncie Star Press profiles J-Ideas

 
  FULL TEXT: L.A. Times columnist speaks at JEA/NSPA

 
  Group likes press ideal of principal

 
  Media advisers sought for teacher awards program

 
  NAA releases high school study

 
  Newseum opens its doors

 
  Calif. Senate panel OKs bill to protect advisers

 
  llinois Press Association, IHSA, reach agreement

 
  Remembering Dr. King . . . & the First Amendment

 
  Indianapolis Star editor speaks out on free speech

 
  Express-News runs student journalism package

 
  Apply for Five Freedoms Leadership Academy

 
  ACLU pushing school to let students print poll

 
  Illinois high school to remove newspaper adviser

 
  RTNDF student winners announced

 
  Golden State pushing adviser protections

 
  J-Ideas participates in Peter Jennings project

 
  Y-Press seeking student input

 
  Speakers disagree about health of First Amendment

 
  J-Ideas education specialist interviewed by AP

 
  Feb. 14 update: Accord reached over newspaper

 
  Feb. 13 update: Students, principal to talk

 
  Indiana student newspaper draws criticism

 
  School censors newspaper coverage of 'Truth'

 
  First Amendment guide to candidates

 
  Fight continues between press, IHSA

 
  Student's Facebook protest draws attention

 
  USA Today runs piece from McCormick Tribune

 
  Hazelwood: conflict continues 20 years later

 
  J-Ideas director interviewed by WRTV (ABC)

 
  J-Ideas teaching materials available

 
  ACLU backing Virginia student

 
  Camera phones in the classroom

 
  'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' influencing 5th circuit

 
  Send in your journalism success stories!

 
  American students reading less

 
  School board looking settlement in "Bong Hits"

 
  Seigenthaler, Paulson honored by API

 
  Prime Movers receives new grant

 
  Sorrell honored by journalism groups

 
  IHSPA honors J-Ideas First Amendment advocate

 
  Trial over conservative flyer continues

 
  Ethics key to student journalism

 
  Michigan bill seeks to support student media

 
  Calif. high court supports student journalist

 
  Censored: the new age of high school journalism

 
  Sorrell starts new teaching job

 
  Union-Bulletin: principals can act as publishers

 
  Student press freedom reaches across the country

 
  Conference brings attention to digital expression

 
  J-Ideas wins 2007 Silver Telly for educational DVD

 
  A conversation about the First Amendment

 
  We're strangling high school free speech, press

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  J-IDEAS is funded in part by the 
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's
High School Initiative
and Ball State University.
 
J-IDEAS | Department of Journalism
Ball State University | Muncie, Ind. 47306
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