1. For students in high school
Unprotected Speech
For students in high school

2. Disclaimer!
Students do not have the same rights as adults, but there are exceptions to every rule. Remember, when you are in school or using school equipment you are under the school’s rules and policies.
Once you are outside the building, you are under the government’s rules.

3. Libel Definition: Printed lie P -----Publication I -----Identification
H ----Harm
F ---- Fault
In the media and non-media world, people can sue for libel if they can prove PIHF. Publication means writing it down and handing to another person…so a note and even a tweet can be considered published. Identification does not necessarily mean a name…if a readers can figure out who a writer is alluding to, it is identification. The harm done must be proven: can’t get work, firing of a job etc., and the writer must be at fault---didn’t fact check, didn’t get multiple sources----
If a writer can show (written notes/recorded interviews) that he/she spoke to multiple people including the person who was written about the writer can be saved from being successfully sued.

4. Examples of Libel “Slutina” “Black Girl” “Coach Skeetrag”
All of these are real examples of how people were labeled in yearbooks. All were guilty of libel.
All of the above are TRUE examples of how people were identified in yearbooks. They were published and the students were sued for defamation of character….lots of reprinting had to be done of the yearbooks….aka lots of money was spent.

5. FYI on slander
Slander is Libel…but spoken. Aka: spoken lies

6. Obscenity Complete sexual arousal Not Scientific Not Literary Not art
“I’ll know it when I see it”--Potter Stewart
By definition, publications like playboy are not obscene. However, child pornography is obscene. It is hard to prove obscenity when it comes to art and literature.

7. Copyright Violation When you can use other’s work Fair use (teachers)
Small part
Parody
Not preventing owner of earning money
Again, remember, this is about unprotected speech. You cannot steal people’s ideas…but you can take small parts (like when you write an essay and you site your source, or create a parody, like Weird Al Yankovic. You just cannot prevent an owner of earning money.

8. Disruption of the school day
This does not apply to professionals
What are some examples you can think of?
Examples of disruption of the school day: wearing a bathing suit to school, pulling the fire alarm, wearing costumes to school, etc.

9. Advocate illegal drug use
(read for more info)

10. Invasion of Privacy Jennifer Aniston vs you and me—malice and stalking
Teachers and tweets/facebook/texts (see link in notes)

11. Malice
Reckless disregard of the truth

12. Remember
Don’t self censor. If you have a story, cover it. Just make sure to interview all people involved and don’t get obsessed with cracking a “good” story over telling the truth…which can be just as interesting if you are a good writer and find the right angle.

13. Sources