Manuals: Policies Law and Ethics Module

Define the following words: Truth Reliability Patriot Give students 5 minutes on this. The goal of this slide is for students to realize words often have different interpretations than what is intended. Teacher should discuss how the different ways these words could be interpreted.

Pair with another student Compare your definitions with your neighbor’s. Whose definitions are correct? These terms have many interpretations. It’s important to pay attention to wording. Give them 3 minutes to discuss. Then, have a class discussion 5-7 minutes concerning wording.

The goal of today: We will examine policies and create one of our own.

Why wording matters: Form a group of four. For the following statements, identify any problematic wording and explain why.

What if this were your policy? Students will make all final decisions with assistance from faculty adviser. Give students a minute or so for each of these. Make sure to discuss the bulleted points on the answers provided.

What if this were your policy? Students will make all final decisions with assistance from faculty adviser This contradicts the concept of a free student press. It’s a student publication. Give them a minute to discuss why this is problematic.

What if this were your policy? 2. Student media will publish content only if appropriate for all students. All coverage must conform to the highest journalistic integrity standards. Students must be aware of ethical considerations with its readership.

What if this were your policy? 2. Student media will publish content only if appropriate for all students. All coverage must conform to the highest journalistic integrity standards. Students must be aware of ethical considerations with its readership. Who decides what is appropriate? What are standards of journalistic integrity and ethical awareness? Who decides? Discuss the bulleted points.

What if this were your policy? 3. To provide only reliable information and establish an open free forum responsible expression of student opinion. All materials presented will be well-balanced, locally researched and include coverage of issues of broad student interest.

What if this were your policy? 3. To provide only reliable information and establish an open free forum responsible expression of student opinion. All materials presented will be well-balanced, locally researched and include coverage of issues of broad student interest. What is responsible? Free forum? Who decides and why? What is well balanced? What does locally researched mean? What is responsible? Who decides what is well-balanced and locally researched?

The problem: No policy currently exists. With a partner, craft a policy that empowers students’ First Amendment rights. Some items to remember: Keep them short Be intentional in wording Include forum status Give students 10 minutes on this.

Or this one? The student media are designated forums for student expression in which students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials. The adviser will not act as a censor, but will advise students. Students have the final decision on all content. This is the exemplar provided by JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee.

Comparison How does your policy compare to the exemplar? What questions do you have based on the differences? Should you change any wording in yours? Allow students 5-10 minutes to analyze the policy and decide if any wording should be changed. Students should then report each of the group’s findings to the class for the final 10 minutes.