Students may produce official school publications as part of the curriculum under the supervision of a faculty advisor and the principal. Official school publications include material produced in the journalism, newspaper, yearbook, computer, or writing classes and distributed to the student body either free or for a fee.
Any expression made by students, including student expression in official school publications, is not an expression of official school policy. The school district, the board, and the employees or officials are not liable in any civil or criminal action for any student expression made or published by students unless the 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 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 shall follow the grievance procedure outlined in board policy 214.1. Students who believe their freedom of expression in a student-produced official school publication has been restricted shall follow the grievance procedure outlined in board policy 502.6.
The superintendent shall be responsible for developing a student publications code. This code shall include, but not be limited to, reasonable rules including time, place, and manner of restrictions. The superintendent shall also be responsible for distributing this policy and the student publications code to the students and their parents.
Legal Reference: Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988).
Bystrom v. Fridley High School, 822 F.2d 747 (8th Cir. 1987).
Iowa Code § 280.22 (2005).
Cross Reference: 502 Student Rights and Responsibilities, 504 Student Activities
Approved Mar 12, 2007
Reviewed January 10, 2022
Revised June 11, 2012
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS CODE
A. Official school publications defined.
An "official school publication" is material produced by students in the journalism, newspaper, yearbook, Computer, or writing classes and distributed to students either free or for a fee.
B. Expression in an official school publication.
• No student shall express, publish or distribute in an official school publication material which is:
a. obscene;
b. libelous;
c. slanderous; or
d. encourages students to:
1) commit unlawful acts;
2) violate school rules;
3) cause the material and substantial disruption of the orderly and efficient operation of the school or school activity;
4) disrupt or interfere with the education program;
5) interrupt the maintenance of a disciplined atmosphere; or
6) infringe on the rights of others.
• The official school publication shall be produced under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
C. Responsibilities of students.
• Students writing or editing official school publications shall assign and edit the news, editorial and feature contents of the official school publications subject to the limitations of the student publications code and the law.
• Students shall strive to achieve professional standards of accuracy, fairness, objectivity, and thoroughness in each and every aspect of official school publications.
• Students shall strive to achieve professional standards of grammar, usage, punctuation and spelling for clarity and accuracy of official school publications.
D. Responsibilities of faculty advisors.
Faculty advisors 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.
E. Liability
Student expression in an official school publication shall not be deemed to be an expression of the school district. The school district, the board, and the employees or officials are not liable in any civil or criminal action for any student expression made or published by students unless the employees or officials have interfered with or altered the content of the student expression. The liability, if any, is only to the extent of interference or alteration of the speech or expression.
F. Appeal procedure.
Students who believe they have been unreasonably restricted in their exercise of expression in an official student publication shall seek review of the decision through the student grievance procedure, under board policy 502.6.
Persons who believe they have been aggrieved by student-produced official student publication shall file their complaint through the citizen grievance procedure, under board policy 214.1.
G. Time, place and manner of restrictions on official school publications.
Official student publications may be distributed in a reasonable manner on or off school premises.
Distribution in a reasonable manner shall not encourage students to:
a. commit unlawful acts;
b. violate school rules;
c. cause the material and substantial disruption of the orderly and efficient operation of the school district or school activity;
d. disrupt or interfere with the education program;
e. interrupt the maintenance of a disciplined atmosphere; or
f. infringe on the rights of others.
Approved Mar 12, 2007
Reviewed January 10, 2022
Revised June 11, 2012