Submitted and adopted November 1984
Introduction
Whereas, we, the Pennsylvania School Press Association, recognize and uphold the First Amendment and other rights granted all citizens, be they student journalists or other persons
Whereas, we recognize our First Amendment rights may be limited by the courts through common law or the people through constitutional amendments
Whereas, we recognize that all rights carry with them certain responsibilities
Whereas, the First Amendment rights of Pennsylvania student journalists in Pennsylvania have been recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Pennsylvania School Code
Therefore, be it resolved that the Pennsylvania School Press Association believes that scholastic media and the students and advisers who produce them should strive for the highest standards of ethical conduct, that they should act intelligently, fairly, accurately and with integrity in their work and otherwise.
Purposes of Student Media
Scholastic media serve a dual purpose. They are both means of expression for students and others, and they are tools which help students learn various intellectual skills such as the arts of public speaking, composition and logic.
Media production programs at the scholastic level should be developed primarily as teaching tools.
Scholastic publications should also serve the general welfare by:
- Informing its audience (students, faculty, administration, parents, alumni and taxpayers) of events of public importance and interest.
- Interpreting events and issues and reporting the real and possible consequences of those events or issues.
- Commenting on events of public importance and interest.
- Serving as a public forum for the free expression of ideas.
- Serving as a constructive critic of all segments of the school and community.
- Upholding the rights to free speech and freedom of the press.
In performing the above mentioned functions, all student media should be responsible, fair, accurate, independent and decent.
Accuracy
The student press should guard against carelessness and inaccuracies.
Every effort should be made to assure student media content is free from bias and that all sides of an issue or event are presented fairly.
All facts should be checked by the reporter and editor.
All direct quotes should be verified by the reporter with the individual quoted.
Retouching or manipulating photographs in such a manner that significantly alters the reality of the photographs should not be done.
Editorials and columns should be held to the same standards of accuracy as with all other types of reporting and writing.
Responsibility
Student media should meet the needs of its local audience. The student press should seek access to and report on all news affecting the lives of its readers.
Controversial, unpopular issues and events that touch the lives of scholastic press readers should be covered, but often with discretion.
No issue or event should ever be covered because of its sensationalistic value.
Scholastic media should strive to report the successes associated with the educational system but should not ignore the system’s failures and weaknesses.
Student media should not be considered a public relations tool of school administrators.
Scholastic media should respect an individual’s right to privacy.
Unlike the professional press where cooperation with police is generally forbidden, student journalists may find it necessary to consult with school and police officials if they come upon information about a potentially harmful situation.
News sources should be identified unless there is clear reason not to do so. Such reasons should be explained in the article.
Fairness
Student journalists should, at all times, show respect for the dignity, privacy, rights and well-being of people encountered in the course of gathering and presenting material.
Editorials and other expressions of opinion should be clearly marked as such.
Objectivity — keeping personal opinions and thoughts out of reporting and writing – is an important goal for all student journalists.
Unattributed subjective words and/or statements should be absent from all news coverage.
Press releases should not be printed verbatim without additional research and editing.
Scholastic journalists should not communicate charges affecting a person’s reputation without giving the accused person a chance to reply to the charges made against him.
Any article or item that leans towards criticism of any individual or group should be carefully written and should always present both sides of the issue.
The student press should not give favored treatment to advertisers or special interest groups in the school or community.
The student press should report matters regarding itself or its membership in the same manner it would use for any other group or individual.
Student journalists should guard against bias or distortion through either unfair emphasis or omission of details when covering a story.
Student journalists should admit all errors and correct them promptly and prominently.
Independence
Integrity is essential for student media to maintain the public trust.
Student media, their staffs and advisers, should avoid possible conflicts of interest by being free of obligations to news sources or special interests.
Whenever possible, student media should strive to be self-supporting through advertising and subscription sales.
Stories should never be written or edited for the primary purpose of winning an award or prize.
Decency
Student journalists should respect taste and decency, understanding that society’s concept of taste and decency are constantly changing.
School media should avoid the use of profanities unless a story’s meaning would be dramatically altered without their use.
Events, issues and personalities covered by the scholastic press should not glorify actions or behaviors deemed socially unacceptable or illegal.
The student press should not pander to the morbid curiosity of some regarding the details of a crime or accident.
Advertising in student media should be neither offensive, indecent, misleading nor should it advocate the violation of any local, state or federal law – especially laws relating to minors.
Advisers
School administrators should, whenever possible, hire well-trained, knowledgeable personnel to direct scholastic media programs.
School administrators should encourage additional training of scholastic media advisers by providing time and funds for conferences, workshops and seminars in the same manner they do for classroom teachers and athletic coaches.
The media adviser should advise – not dictate.
The media adviser is a consultant – not a censor.
Academically accredited courses should be offered, whenever possible, to teach in a classroom setting the basics of sound journalism.
Whenever possible, advanced courses in media production should be offered as part of the curriculum.
Advisers should not be burdened with additional duties which limit the time that can be given to publication duties.
Advisers putting in additional out-of-school time should be paid additional wages commensurate to that paid other extra curricular advisers and coaches.
Advisers with the aid of student editors and school administrators should develop a set of publication guidelines. Special consideration should be given to carefully outlined procedures for covering sensitive issues.
As a professional, an adviser should not give out privileged information but guide student staff members to other possible sources for such information.
Conclusion
No set of guidelines can prejudge every possible situation. Common sense and good judgment are required in applying ethical principles to student media realities. Striving to follow such a set of guidelines is intended to build a bond of mutual trust and respect between student journalists and the public.
Student journalists and advisers should actively censure and try to prevent violations of these standards and should encourage the observance of the guidelines by all members of the scholastic press.
