Essential Question: How do First Amendment rights and freedoms apply to student journalism?
Agenda: Let's talk about Journalism ethics!
Opener: What do you know about the First Amendment Rights?
How do they apply to us as student journalists?
Participate in the following WebQuest to analyze and form an opinion about a made-up case of First Amendment rights. Keep notes in a Google Doc. You can work individually or in a group. Submit your notes and findings at the end of the period.
Intro to Journalism – Using Online Legal Sources WebQuest
The First Amendment and My Rights and Responsibilities
SETTING THE SCENE:
Your school newspaper is established as an Open Public Forum with a Statement of Purpose that reads as follows:
The Warrior Ledger and The Warrior Ledger Online will be referred to together as Taylorsville High School Media. Both media programs serve the community, faculty and student body of Taylorsville High School as an Open Public Forum for freedom of expression as established by the First Amendment. The adviser and staff members strive to report school news and issues professionally and with a focus on journalistic integrity and credibility while maintaining concordance with the Taylorsville High School Mission Statement.
HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO:
In your most recent issue there is an article covering the issue of hazing at the school. The reporter did a thorough job and practiced good journalism in writing the story. In the story a few of the star football players are named for hazing and a particular incident is reported in detail. When the principal reads the articles, all of the papers (that have already been distributed) are confiscated and not allowed to be distributed. The editors of the paper claim the administration is in violation of First Amendment rights.
After completing this Webquest/assignment, you will need to decide if you believe the editors of The Warrior Ledger would win their First Amendment case in Utah or if the ruling would be in favor of the administration and why.
Agenda: Let's talk about Journalism ethics!
Opener: What do you know about the First Amendment Rights?
How do they apply to us as student journalists?
Participate in the following WebQuest to analyze and form an opinion about a made-up case of First Amendment rights. Keep notes in a Google Doc. You can work individually or in a group. Submit your notes and findings at the end of the period.
Intro to Journalism – Using Online Legal Sources WebQuest
The First Amendment and My Rights and Responsibilities
SETTING THE SCENE:
Your school newspaper is established as an Open Public Forum with a Statement of Purpose that reads as follows:
The Warrior Ledger and The Warrior Ledger Online will be referred to together as Taylorsville High School Media. Both media programs serve the community, faculty and student body of Taylorsville High School as an Open Public Forum for freedom of expression as established by the First Amendment. The adviser and staff members strive to report school news and issues professionally and with a focus on journalistic integrity and credibility while maintaining concordance with the Taylorsville High School Mission Statement.
HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO:
In your most recent issue there is an article covering the issue of hazing at the school. The reporter did a thorough job and practiced good journalism in writing the story. In the story a few of the star football players are named for hazing and a particular incident is reported in detail. When the principal reads the articles, all of the papers (that have already been distributed) are confiscated and not allowed to be distributed. The editors of the paper claim the administration is in violation of First Amendment rights.
After completing this Webquest/assignment, you will need to decide if you believe the editors of The Warrior Ledger would win their First Amendment case in Utah or if the ruling would be in favor of the administration and why.
- Go to www.splc.org. Once there look around the site and identify what the purpose of this site, what they offer to student journalists, and in what ways could you utilize this site?
- Search to this page of the SPLC website by either clicking this link: http://www.splc.org/page/high-school-faqs or going to the “Know Your Rights” page and select “High School FAQ”. Read all of the questions and answers and choose the one that you found the most interesting and comment on why.
- Read more about the Tinker v. Des Moines case and the Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier cases. For each case list the following:
- What was the issue to be decided at court?
- Why did the courts decide the way they did?
- What does this mean for student Journalists?
- Now select “Know Your Rights” and the Law Library page or this link - http://www.splc.org/knowyourrights/law_library.asp. Select one of the cases listed (not Hazelwood or Tinker) and read the brief description. In your GoogleDoc, write a summary of the case and be prepared to share it with the class.
- Review the Colorado Free Expression Law here and explain how it supports high school journalists in Colorado. What are its limitations? What other states have a statute that supports high school journalism and First Amendment rights?
- Search the web to see if you can find any First Amendment cases in Utah as it pertains to high school journalism or find cases the SPLC helped with by typing "Utah" into their search bar. List anything that you find here:
- Using the chart below, decide if the Hazelwood or Tinker standard applies to our school and our newspaper. Be prepared to discuss your decision in class next time.
8. Now, take a look at the scene listed at the beginning of this WebQuest and make a decision as to how you think that case would turn out. Do you think Hazelwood or Tinker would prevail in a case like that? Do you think the case would be different in different states in the country?
Assignments:
Submit your WebQuest notes, summaries, and findings on CANVAS
Assignments:
Submit your WebQuest notes, summaries, and findings on CANVAS
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