Frank LoMonte, Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center, gave a compelling talk concerning the rights we have as teachers (not as much as students, as it turns out) and the philosophy governing our actions in the classroom (why do we push for them to do the stories we want them to do? because if they don't, journalism dies a little bit). These are issues that need to be debated, discussed and analyzed in every journalism classroom in America, and from what I can tell about everyone at the Institute, at least we've got 33 fewer classrooms to worry about whether or not that's taking place.
I have to confess, though, that as a teacher, there's a part of me that sympathizes greatly over concerns about free speech trumping control and leading to chaos. I'm reminded of Bethel School District vs. Fraser: the First Amendment advocate in me decries the outcome of a student getting punished for a platform, however sophomoric; the educator in me winces at the thought of having to police that auditorium. Of course, we have good guidelines in place, whether self-created or adopted, that ensure "free speech" is not a catchall for "anything we want to say." That's obvious, but only after enough reflection and thought has taken place in the classroom. Still, the fact that I get squeamish whenever enough adolescents have enough microphones testifies to the conflict I feel, and I doubt I'm alone. Just bringing up a rather ugly elephant in the room, is all.
Gregg Long
Lake Park High School
Roselle, IL
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