Instruction

6145.3-AR

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

A.      Purpose and Scope

To provide administrative procedures for all student publications

B.     General

1.      Suggestions or questions concerning this procedure should be directed to the Assistant Superintendent - Educational Services.

2.      The site principal is responsible for implementing this procedure.

C.     Forms Used and Additional References

None

D.     Procedure

1.      An advisor shall be provided each school publication to implement journalistic or literary programs, which provide sound learning experiences for students, including but not limited to:

a.      Accurate and impartial news coverage

b.      Accurate and objective reporting

c.      Well researched, factual information supporting opinion in editorials

d.      A sound and ethical financial program through the advertisements published and, in the case of the yearbook, through effective promotion and sales of the book

e.      Photographic coverage of the school and its programs

f.        Adequate distribution of the publications

g.      Effective evaluation of the publications

h.      Good taste and discretion in the use of written and pictorial copy and the exclusion of written and/or pictorial copy containing profanity, vulgarity, and/or other material not acceptable for publication in community newspapers

2.      Students will use proper grammar, form, and style, and all copy submitted for publication shall conform to good journalistic or other acceptable writing style. Copy shall be rewritten by its author as required by the advisor to improve journalistic structure, sentence structure, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. All represented facts and quotes shall be checked and verified.

3.      The students will learn by practical experience the meaning of "freedom of speech" as that term is used in the United States and California Constitutions.

4.      The students in their publications classes shall conform to the adopted district course of study.

5.      All student publications shall adhere to the following guidelines:

a.      The school publications shall operate under the United States and California Constitutions which guarantee each student of the district individual freedom of expression. Material constituting the following may be withheld from being published:

1)      Privileged, defamatory material

2)      Obscenity, according to the following legal standards:

a)      The material must deal primarily with sex in a manner appealing to prurient interest.

b)      The material must be patently offensive by local community standards.

c)      The material must be lacking in serious literary, social, political or aesthetic value.

3)      Expression which so incites students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on school premises, to violate lawful school regulations, or to disrupt the operation of the school

b.      School newspapers shall not be used as a vehicle to support any one position in the school district regarding labor unrest. Factual stories, reporting both sides of the issue, are required.

6.      Each school will establish a written editorial policy annually approved by the principal.

7.      Material may be rejected for publication in accordance with the provisions of the approved school editorial policy and/or the provisions of this procedure by either the faculty advisor or the principal. Rejected material, insofar as possible, will be limited to the offending material. The individual rejecting the material for publication shall contact the author submitting the material as soon as possible after a decision of rejection has been made and advise him/her of the refusal and the reasons therefore.

8.      The author may appeal the rejection of material through the advisor to the principal. The principal shall make a decision as expeditiously as possible, but in no event shall it take more than two school days. Further appeal may be made as follows:

a.      Written request to the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for review by a committee comprised of district staff, one teacher, and community members. The committee will render a decision within ten working days.

b.      To the superintendent or his designee, who shall consider the matter and make a decision within two school days after receipt of a written appeal.

c.      Present a written appeal to the board within three school days after the decision of the superintendent. The board shall render a decision on the appeal within a timely period after receipt of the appeal. When the appeal is received at least three school days prior to a regularly scheduled board meeting, the decision on the appeal shall be rendered at that meeting. Otherwise, the board shall render a decision on the appeal at or prior to its next regularly scheduled meeting.

E.     Reports Required

None

F.      Record Retention

None

G.     Responsible Administrative Unit

Assistant Superintendent - Educational Services

H.     Approved by:

 

Sharon McHolland

9/14/89

James O. Fleming

9/14/89

Responsible Division Head

Date

Superintendent

Date