2008 Woodie Awards
Student newspapers shouldn't be censored
Mesa Press Staff
Issue date: 9/26/06 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
California jumped to the forefront of the fight for free speech when the governor signed Assembly Bill 2581 at the end of August. AB 2581, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Leland Y. Yee (D - San Francisco) provides protection against censorship of students working for college papers at any UC, CSU,or community college.
While censorship on the collegiate level was by no means rampant, the passage of this bill which formally takes effect Jan. 1, 2007, will provide a substantial boost to the application of the First Amendment concerning college publications. This bill may encourage students to explore more controversial stories without fear of censorship or reprisal.
College papers, which are generally free, are not bound by the same principles as the corporate media. They do not have to bend to the will of high-powered executives who may want to push in a certain direction. There is also less fear of losing income from advertisers for publishing a critical story.
"Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of our democracy," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in an official press release from Assemblyman Yee on Aug. 28. "Students working on college newspapers deserve the same rights afforded to every other student journalist."
While the governor may not have a complete grasp on the English language, he does make a good point.
Having the freedom to believe what you want is one thing. Having the freedom to tell anyone who will listen what you believe is something else altogether. Sure, sometimes strangers standing on the street corner preaching about the Apocalypse can be a bit unnerving, but their right to do it should be protected at all costs. Besides, they make life a bit more interesting.
We must keep guard of the legacy of civil and social rights that has been left to us by the brave people who fought so hard to earn them throughout this country's history. People in power will try to limit their transparency and accountability to the public whenever possible.
The reason AB 2581 even came into creation was an example of this struggle. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which presides over Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, ruled that the same censorship rules that applied to high school publications could be applied at the college level.
According to the California Newspaper Publishers Association web site, Christine Helwick, General Counsel for the CSU system, sent a memo to the president of each CSU campus on June 30, 2005. In the memo, Helwick stated "The case appears to signal that CSU campuses may have more latitude than previously believed to censor the content of subsidized student newspapers, provided that there is an established practice of regularized content review and approval for pedagogical purposes." A craftily worded green light for censorship.
This bill may even serve as a model to encourage other states to adopt similar laws, or perhaps eventually a constitutional amendment.
While censorship on the collegiate level was by no means rampant, the passage of this bill which formally takes effect Jan. 1, 2007, will provide a substantial boost to the application of the First Amendment concerning college publications. This bill may encourage students to explore more controversial stories without fear of censorship or reprisal.
College papers, which are generally free, are not bound by the same principles as the corporate media. They do not have to bend to the will of high-powered executives who may want to push in a certain direction. There is also less fear of losing income from advertisers for publishing a critical story.
"Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of our democracy," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in an official press release from Assemblyman Yee on Aug. 28. "Students working on college newspapers deserve the same rights afforded to every other student journalist."
While the governor may not have a complete grasp on the English language, he does make a good point.
Having the freedom to believe what you want is one thing. Having the freedom to tell anyone who will listen what you believe is something else altogether. Sure, sometimes strangers standing on the street corner preaching about the Apocalypse can be a bit unnerving, but their right to do it should be protected at all costs. Besides, they make life a bit more interesting.
We must keep guard of the legacy of civil and social rights that has been left to us by the brave people who fought so hard to earn them throughout this country's history. People in power will try to limit their transparency and accountability to the public whenever possible.
The reason AB 2581 even came into creation was an example of this struggle. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which presides over Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, ruled that the same censorship rules that applied to high school publications could be applied at the college level.
According to the California Newspaper Publishers Association web site, Christine Helwick, General Counsel for the CSU system, sent a memo to the president of each CSU campus on June 30, 2005. In the memo, Helwick stated "The case appears to signal that CSU campuses may have more latitude than previously believed to censor the content of subsidized student newspapers, provided that there is an established practice of regularized content review and approval for pedagogical purposes." A craftily worded green light for censorship.
This bill may even serve as a model to encourage other states to adopt similar laws, or perhaps eventually a constitutional amendment.
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