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JICE - Student Media and Censorship

The Board recognizes the educational benefit creative student expression adds to the school experience. School-sponsored student media such as annual yearbooks, student newspapers, theater productions, and visual media, may be authorized by the Board.

[Review and Approval]

All school productions and publications will be subject to supervision and approval of the School Principal or his/her designee. The School Principal or his/her designee may review, limit and/or edit all school-sponsored productions and publications before they are printed, posted, or distributed to ensure the publication conforms to all school regulations and School Board policies.

The following criteria will be met:

  1. The material abides by copyright law.

  2. Authorship is clearly identified on all materials.

  3. The material is free from libel, slander, obscenity, personal attacks, or illegal conduct.

  4. The material does not advocate illegal activities.

  5. The material does not demean any race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnic group.

  6. The material does not interfere with or will not likely disrupt the school or district's instructional mission, goals, or safety.

  7. The material is free from unauthorized solicitation.

  8. The material is free from advertisements of or actions including smoking, tobacco products, alcohol, illegal drugs, substances, and/or associated paraphernalia.

  9. Words, gestures and clothing used as props shall not include the display of firearms, other weapons, drugs, tobacco, or alcohol that are not appropriate in school are not appropriate in student publications or productions.

[Distribution ]

Students have a right to distribute materials on school grounds. Such distribution may not occur in a manner that interferes with school networks or websites or with circulation in any hallways, entrances, exits, or passages, or to or from school buses, or in a manner that pressures uninterested students to access or view said material. No material may be distributed unless a copy is approved in advance by the school Principal.

Content

Student editors have initial responsibility of determining content. Faculty advisors and the school Principal can override the student editor's decision, but only after giving substantial and due regard to the judgement of the student editor and the educational value of the exercise of that judgement. Students or other faculty members who disagree with the final decision on the content of the material may file a complaint under Challenge of Student Media Form.

Challenged Materials

Despite the careful consideration students and faculty members make when it comes to the content of the school-sponsored media; the Board recognizes that students, parents, school staff or community members may occasionally raise objections.

In the event a complaint is made and filed promptly regarding the material's deadline, the following procedures will apply:

A. The complaint shall be heard first by the person providing the materials in question. Then, all parties involved shall strive to come to an amicable resolution or compromise.

B. If the complaint remains unresolved, the complainant shall be referred to the building Principal and requested to fill out the Challenge of Student Media Form. A copy of the form will be forwarded to the Superintendent.

C. The Superintendent shall appoint a committee composed of the following persons to review the complaint: one Principal at the appropriate grade level; the faculty advisor of said student media; the student advisor; one member from S.C.L.C.; and one or two community members.

D. The review committee shall:

  1. Read and examine the materials referred to them.

  2. Check general acceptance of materials by weighing values and faults against each other and form opinions based on the content as a whole and not on passages or portions pulled out of context.

  3. Meet to discuss the material and to prepare a written report on it.

E. The report of the committee shall be forwarded to the Superintendent who will inform the complainant of the results.

F. No materials shall be removed from use until the review committee has made a final decision.

Cross References: Challenge of Student Media Form
Policy IJJ -- Instructional and Library Media Material Selection
Policy IJJ-E -- Challenge of Instructional Materials Form

Adopted: January 23, 2017

Revised: May 21, 2018

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