To celebrate Thursday’s fifth annual Student Press Freedom Day, the New England First Amendment Coalition, the Student Press Law Center, the New England Newspaper & Press Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists New England are calling on all student journalists to share their stories this week to celebrate Student Press Freedom Day.
We are highlighting the story of two former student newspaper editors who encountered censorship at Burlington (Vt.) High School in 2018.
Jenna Peterson is now a junior at the University of Southern California and managing editor at the Daily Trojan. Halle Newman is now a senior at Wesleyan University where she reported for the Wesleyan Argus. In the below video (produced by former student journalist Katherine Hapgood who recently graduated from Boston University) Jenna and Halle recount their experience battling censorship at Burlington High School’s The Register and reflect on their lessons.
Student journalists across the United States use the occasion each year to raise awareness of the challenges they face, celebrate their contributions to their schools and communities, and take action to protect and restore their First Amendment freedoms.
Here’s how you can participate:
On Thursday, February 23, share your experience as a student journalist pushing back against censorship. Or share with us why you think student journalism is valuable to your community and democracy.
Upload a video to your social media of choice and make sure to tag it: #StudentPressFreedom