As stated in Board Policy JICE, school-sponsored publications are a public forum for students as well as an educational activity through which students can gain experience in reporting, writing, editing and understanding responsible journalism. Content of school publications may reflect all areas of student interest, which may include topics about which there may be dissent or controversy.

In addition to the responsibilities set forth in Board Policy JICE, students who work on official student publications will:

Ÿ Rewrite material, as required by the faculty advisors to improve sentence structure, grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Ÿ Check and verify all facts and verify the accuracy of all quotations.

Ÿ In the case of editorials or letters to the editor concerning controversial issues, provide space of rebuttal comments and opinions.

If the Board determines that advertising is allowed in the publication, the student editor will develop guidelines, which will be approved by the Board, for the content of any advertisements.

It shall be the responsibility of the publications advisor to supervise the production of the publication and to teach and encourage free and responsible expression and professional standards for English and journalism. If participation in the publication is part of a school class or activity for which grades or school credits are given, the publications advisor may establish or limit writing assignments for the students working with the publication and otherwise direct and control the learning experience that the publication is intended to provide. The publications advisor will exercise general supervision over all activities to create proper learning environment.

Students may not publish or distribute material, which is obscene. Obscene means:

Ÿ The average person applying contemporary community standards finds that the publication, taken as a whole, appeals to a minor's prurient interest in sex.

Ÿ The publication depicts or describes in a patently offensive way sexual conduct such as ultimate sexual acts (normal or perverted), masturbation, excretory functions, or lewd exhibition of genitals.

Ÿ The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

Students may not publish expression, which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory under state law. Libelous is defined as a false and unprivileged statement about a person, which injures the individual's reputation in the community.

Expression which is false as to any person who is not a public figure or involved in a matter of public concern is prohibited.

If the allegedly libeled individual is a public figure or official, the official must show that the false statement was published with actual malice, as the terms are defined in the law.

Under the fair comment rule, a student is free to express an opinion on matters of public interest. Specifically, a student enjoys a privilege to criticize the performance of teachers, administrators, school officials and other school employees.

Expression which presents a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts, violation of lawful school regulations, or material and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school or which violates the rights of others to privacy is prohibited.

In order for a student publication to be considered disruptive, there must exist specific facts upon which it would be reasonable in forecast that a clear and present likelihood of an immediate, substantial material disruption to normal school activity would occur if the material were distributed. Undifferentiated fear or apprehension of disturbance is not enough, school administrators must be able to show affirmatively substantial facts, which reasonably support a forecast of likely disruption. Material that stimulates heated discussion or debate does not constitute the type of disruption, which is prohibited.

The principal will coordinate with the publications advisor on the time, place and manner of distributing school-sponsored publications to reduce any conflict with school instructional time and/or reduce any disruption of the orderly operation of the school which might be caused by the distribution of school sponsored publications.

Student editors will work first with the publications advisor to resolve any differences. If the problem cannot be resolved at this level, the petitioner shall work with the principal to resolve any problems. If the problem is not resolved at the principal level, the petitioner shall work with the Superintendent to resolve any problem. If the problem is not resolved at the Superintendency level, the petitioner shall work with the Board of Education. The timeline for submission and response to conflicts is as follows:

Ÿ Petitioner has one (1) day from the time of the first denial to submit problem to the publications advisor. The publications advisor has one (1) day to respond.

Ÿ If the conflict is unresolved, petitioner has two (2) days from the time of the second denial to submit the problem to the principal. The principal has two (2) days to respond.

Ÿ If the conflict is unresolved, petitioner has five (5) days from the time of the third (3rd) denial to submit the problem to the Superintendent. The Superintendent has three (3) days to respond.

Ÿ If the conflict is unresolved, petitioner has ten (10) days from the time of the fourth (4th) denial to submit the problem to the Board. The Board will respond at the next regularly scheduled evening meeting.

If, in the opinion of the student editor, student editorial staff or the publications advisor, material proposed for publication may be obscene, libelous, or cause a substantial disruption of school activities, the legal opinion of the School District's attorney should be sought if authorized by the principal.

Legal fees charged in connection with this consultation will be paid by the District.

An underground student press should not be prohibited, assuming it observes the normal rules for responsible journalism. However, the building principal has the authority to restrict the distribution of such materials by designating the time and place the materials may be distributed.