Brush up on press law and ethics

Free April 5 workshop develops tools and policies you can put into place this spring

March 6, 2014

At a glance: download the PDF flyer for our April 5 CHSPA Press Law & Ethics Saturday course now.

Advising student media is not easy, but the rewards are great and the experience is thrilling. One thing’s for certain: there is never a dull moment.

Scholastic media empowers students to exercise their First Amendment rights and understand their social role as journalists. Their first duty is to the truth. Responsible and dynamic coverage, especially coverage of sensitive or controversial issues, is never easy, and there’s not always one right answer.

We are fortunate to live in a state with a student free expression law that allows student journalists to operate in an open forum. The responsibility is ours. Advisers and their students must be well versed in copyright, libel, freedom of information laws and other aspects of press law. They must also understand media ethics and be prepared to make tough decisions about coverage.

That’s why we’re offering the Press Law & Ethics Certification Course for advisers and administrators.

Please join us for our next course on Saturday, April 5 at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora. You’ll leave with lesson plans, policies and procedures to ensure that a student free press thrives at your school. You will be certified and may choose to earn one semester hour of graduate credit from Adams State University (upon completion of all course requirements).

Learn from fellow student media advisers
Whether you are familiar with scholastic press law and ethics, or you’re a new adviser or administrator just learning about student media, the course will further your understanding of the laws, trends and challenges advisers and administrators face in supporting quality student media programs.

We will cover everything from landmark court cases to Facebook comments and FERPA, from publishing online to prior review and privacy laws. And it’s not only about the law. Leave with plans and resources to help guide students in making sound ethical decisions.

Develop policies and curriculum
If you already have district and school specific policies for student media, we will take a look at them and make sure they are in accordance with the Colorado Student Free Expression Law. If you don’t have policies yet, we will help you write them.

We will also talk about publication editorial policies, and you will get a chance to revise or create one for your staff.

Policy is only the beginning – putting it into practice is what counts. Leave the workshop with a solid basis for a staff manual, classroom-ready lesson plans on press law and ethics, and ideas for sharing First Amendment and ethical responsibilities across the curriculum and throughout your community.

Your work will also help further an initiative to add adviser protection to the Colorado Student Free Expression Law.

Join the following advisers who have been certified by CHSPA in press law and ethics: