A Letter from Neha Madhira

Without a free press, democracy fails. In a world where the press is nothing but attacked, student journalists are on the front line and must be taught the impact that their voices have. For the last 31 years, the standard for student publications has been the Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier case, which gives administrators the power to censor student journalism. Hazelwood not only proves how some administrators value the image of their school over quality journalism, but causes student journalists to be legally unprotected from being prior reviewed or censored.

The New Voices legislation is a grassroots, student-led movement that is aimed at protecting student journalists and teachers’ rights. It revokes Hazelwood and brings back the Tinker standard, stating that, “students and teachers do not shed their rights at the schoolhouse gates.” 14 states have already passed this law, but there is still a two-fold problem: 36 states either don’t have active legislation or haven’t passed it, and there are students who have New Voices in their state but don’t know it exists.

This step-by-step toolkit is here to help students better understand their rights as well as their responsibilities, and also covers how students can get active in their communities. Students have the power to stand up and be the change.

How will you use your voice?