Washington State Legislature Consider Student Press Freedom Bill

The Washington State Legislature is currently considering a Student Press Freedom Bill that would ensure student journalists and their advisors certain First Amendmnet protections in their schools.

» January 31, 2008 Group poses student expression bill (Daily Evergreen) Members of the Washington state Legislature are looking to clarify the rights of student journalists with Senate Bill 6449, which was introduced to the Senate last week.

» May 15, 2007 High School Students Lose Censorship Appeal to School Board (SPLC)VASHON ISLAND, WA — Just weeks after a bill promoting the free press rights of high school students died in the Washington state legislature, a school board rebuked a group of student journalists looking to override administrative censorship. The students at Vashon High School’s The Riptide sought publication of an article originally scheduled to run in March that was censored by Vashon High School Principal Susan Hanson because it concerned a “personnel issue,” she said.

» May 11, 2007 Washington State Student-Press Bill Dies (First Amendment Center)WASHINGTON — A Washington state bill to protect student press freedom failed to earn a vote before the legislative session ended on April 13, but not before similar bills appeared in legislatures across the country. Student-press bills await action in three other states: Oregon, Illinois and Michigan.

» September 5, 2007 Oregon State Legislature Passes bill protecting Student and University Journalists (StatesmanJournal.com) The state legislature of Oregon has passed a bill that defends both high school and university journalists from censorship. “At a time when so much student expression is being diminished, it is heartening to know that Oregon, consistent with its rich free speech tradition, is at least doing something to stem the tide of censorship of student expression,” said Ronald Collins, a scholar for the Nashville-based First Amendment Center.

» March 1, 2007 Washington Bill Puts Student Writers in the Driver’s Seat (Poynter Online)WASHINGTON — A bill moving through Washington state’s legislature would make students responsible for content in school-sponsored student publications in high schools and colleges. The bill passed through the Judiciary Committee at the end of January and the Rules Committee on Friday. It will now move to the full House for consideration. The bill would make newspaper advisers responsible for teaching journalism, style and grammar, but even they would not be responsible for content. Nor could they be disciplined or fired for something that appeared in print.
» September 5, 2007 Oregon State Legislature Passes bill protecting Student and University Journalists (StatesmanJournal.com) The state legislature of Oregon has passed a bill that defends both high school and university journalists from censorship. “At a time when so much student expression is being diminished, it is heartening to know that Oregon, consistent with its rich free speech tradition, is at least doing something to stem the tide of censorship of student expression,” said Ronald Collins, a scholar for the Nashville-based First Amendment Center.

» January 17th, 2007 Washington Legislator Introduces Free Press Bill
(SPLC)WASHINGTON — Nineteen state representatives have signed on to co-sponsor Washington state Rep. Dave Upthegrove’s (D-Seattle) student free press bill, which would be the first to provide free press protection to both high school and college student journalists in one state law.