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Deadline extended! Donate now


SPLC is extending our End of School Year Fundraiser until the end of June!

So far, SPLC has raised almost $3,000, but we have a long way to go to reach our goal of $10,000. And we need your help to do it. 

Remember, an anonymous donor has pledged to match dollar for dollar any gift to SPLC up to $10,000 in celebration of SPLC's great accomplishments during this school year. 

Won’t you help student journalists and advisors around the country by making a gift right now to SPLC?
Donate now
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Fighting for student press freedom at private schools


Over the weekend, The Seattle Time's Student Voices contributor Parisa Harvey opened up about student media censorship in private schools. "At a private, independent school, student journalists are not protected by the First Amendment like our public school counterparts. Our administration has final say in what we can print and publish. Prior review of content and prior restraint in changing content can happen at any point in our reporting process[.]"

Washington even has a New Voices law, which protects student journalists from this kind of censorship, but it doesn't apply to private schools in the state.

As the editor-in-chief of The Puma Press, Harvey reached out to SPLC for help. "This year, we consulted SPLC on several stories, including articles about hiring practices and sexual assault survivor support policies."

She even revised the paper's guiding policy and mission statement, but the administrators would not endorse the new policy. "While the administrators commended the policy, they were hesitant to sign off on the document. In addition to not wanting to be the first independent school to agree to this unprecedented internal policy, they cited financial reasons", said Harvey.
Read more here
Although private schools have more legal leeway to censor students, they can choose to adopt policies that protect press freedom and free expression. That's why SPLC partnered with the Private School Journalism Association to develop a model affirmation of student free expression rights in private and independent schools. With this model, you can help create a robust school policy protecting student press freedom at your private school.
Learn about the policy
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Your donation helps us defend the rights of student journalists and their advisers across the country. High school and college news organizations can show their support for SPLC's legal hotline and other core services by becoming a member.
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