Students may produce official school publications as part of the curriculum under the supervision of a faculty advisor and the principal/designee. Official school publications include material produced in the journalism, newspaper, yearbook or writing classes and distributed to the student body either free or for a fee.
Any expressions made by students in the exercise of free speech, including student expression in official school publications, is not an expression of official school policy. The district, the board, and the district employees or officials are not liable in any civil or criminal action for any student expression made or published by students, unless the district employees or officials have interfered with or altered the content of the student speech or expression. The liability, if any, is only to the extent of the interference or alteration of the speech or expression.
Official school publications are free from prior restraint by district employees or officials except as provided by law. A faculty advisor shall supervise student writers to maintain professional standards of English and journalism and to comply with the law including, but not limited to, the restrictions against unlawful speech. The production of official school publications shall be guided by the law and by the ethical standards adopted by professional associations or societies of journalism.
Persons, other than students, who believe they have been aggrieved by student expression in a student-produced official school publication, will follow the grievance procedure outlined in board policy 241. Students who believe their freedom of expression in a student-produced official school publication has been restricted will follow the grievance procedure outlined in board policy 525.
The superintendent is responsible for developing a student publications code. This code will include, but not be limited to, reasonable rules including time, place, and manner of restrictions. The superintendent will also be responsible for distributing this policy and the student publications code to the students and their parents/guardians.
Date of Adoption/Revision:
July 1979
August 1994
August 1997
August 2000
July 2003
July 2010
September 2012
August 2015
