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A measure proposes giving free speech to high school students

February 25, 1997
By: Missy Shelton
State Capital Bureau

Some Missouri legislators want to allow Missouri high school students to excerise free speech in school publications

Missy Shelton has the story from Jefferson City.

Story: Missy Shelton
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

A measure came before the judiciary committee that proposes giving Missouri high school students freedom to write what they want in school publications.

School administrators would have no legal power to edit the material.

But the precedent set by the Supreme Court in Hazelwood versus Kuhlmeier said educators have the right to edit school publications.

Several Missouri principals spoke in opposition to the bill at the hearing.

John Glore, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals, said this is an issue of taxpayers' money.

Actuality:John Glore
RunTime: 22 secs
OutCue: "...through the purse strings."
Contents: "This would be the only part of the curriculum that the school would have no control over. To totally take that away and yet use taxpayers' money to pay for the publication is not right. We think the school should control the purse strings and the curriculum through the purse strings."

One principal, Franklin McCallie from a high school just outside St Louis, did speak in support of the measure saying principals need to allow students to express themselves...Even if it means criticizing the principal.

Other proponents of the bill argue that allowing students to print a newspaper without submitting it to the principal is a teaching tool.

Bill sponsor Joan Bray of Saint Louis County said students learn responsibility when dealing with issues such as libel and slander.

Actuality:Joan Bray
RunTime: 24 secs
OutCue: "...doing professional journalism."
Contents: "This is all part of the teaching process with a faculty member teaching how to be a journalist and that's all part of the process. And I must say, in the student journalism classes, these issues get a lot more thoughtful consideration than they do in the daily grind of doing professional journalism."

Along with about 50 other high school students, Amy Jennings, a Kansas City high school student, sat in on the Judiciary Committee's hearing on the bill.

Even though she did not testify, Jennings said she feels students need to be given responsibility.

Actuality:Amy Jennings
RunTime: 8 secs
OutCue: "...not with the administration."
Contents: "That's what the bill is. It's not student rights so much as student responsibility, putting the responsibility on the students, not with the administration."

Opposition came from a principal who said he is concerned about irresponsible students abusing the power of the press.

Mike Parnell is principal at a rural northwest Missouri high school.

Actuality:Mike Parnell
RunTime: 8 secs
OutCue: "...is one component."
Contents: "We're charged as administrators with providing a safe environment for students in the schools and the emotional aspect of that is one component."

But Representative Jim Kreider, from southwest Missouri, who helped introduce the bill, said the bill does not turn the school newspaper entirely over to the students.

Actuality:Jim Kreider
RunTime: 35 secs
OutCue: "...not crossing the line here."
Contents: "Minors need to be directed, need to be taught correct journalism. That's all part of the process. So it's my thinking, how do you teach good journalism when you don't have the freedom to express yourself? Good journalism is knowing where the line is, what's tasteful. Some kind of counselor or some mentor would have to look it over to make sure that we're not crossing the line here."

Kreider said this is the fifth year this measure has been proposed.

The committee has not taken a vote on the bill and with less than two months left in the legislative session, the chances the bill will clear the legislature would appear slim.

From Jefferson City, I'm Missy Shelton.