Publications

 

School Sponsored Publications and Web Sites

School-sponsored publications, productions and web sites are part of the curriculum and are not a public forum for general student use. School authorities may edit or delete material which is inconsistent with the District’s educational mission.

All student media shall comply with the ethics and rules of responsible journalism. Text that is libelous, obscene, vulgar, lewd, invades the privacy of others, conflicts with the basic educational mission of the school, is socially inappropriate, is inappropriate due to the maturity of the students, or is materially disruptive to the educational process will not be tolerated.

Non-school Sponsored Publications Accessed or Distributed on Campus

Creating, distributing and/or accessing non-school sponsored publications shall occur at a time and place and in a manner that will not cause disruption, be coercive, or result in the perception that the distribution or the publication is endorsed by the School District.

Non-School Sponsored Publications Accessed or Distributed Off-Campus

A student engages in gross disobedience and misconduct and may be disciplined for creating and/or distributing a publication that: (1) causes a substantial disruption or a foreseeable risk of a substantial disruption to school operations, or (2) interferes with the rights of other students or staff members.

Read more: Board Policy 5350: Publications

 

Guidelines for Student Distribution of Non-School-Sponsored Publications

A student or group of students seeking to distribute more than 10 copies of the same material on one or more days to students must comply with the following guidelines:

  1. The student(s) must notify the Building Principal of the intent to distribute, in writing, at least 24 hours before distributing the material. No prior approval of the material is required.
  2. The material may be distributed at times and locations selected by the Building Principal, such as, before the beginning or ending of classes at a central location inside the building.
  3. The Building Principal may impose additional requirements whenever necessary to prevent disruption, congestion, or the perception that the material is school-endorsed.
  4. Distribution must be done in an orderly and peaceful manner, and may not be coercive.
  5. The distribution must be conducted in a manner that does not cause additional work for school personnel. Students who distribute material are responsible for cleaning up any materials left on school grounds.
  6. Students must not distribute material that:
    1. Will cause substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation and discipline of the school or school activities;
    2. Violates the rights of others, including but not limited to, material that is libelous, invades the privacy of others, or infringes on a copyright;
    3. Is socially inappropriate or inappropriate due to the students’ maturity level, including but not limited to, material that is obscene, pornographic, or pervasively lewd and vulgar, contains indecent and vulgar language, or sexting as defined by School Board policy and Student Handbooks;
    4. Is reasonably viewed as promoting illegal drug use; or
    5. Is primarily prepared by non-students and distributed in elementary and/or middle schools.
  7. A student may use the School Board’s Uniform Grievance Procedure to resolve a complaint.
  8. Whenever these guidelines require written notification, the appropriate administrator may assist the student in preparing such notification.

A student or group of students seeking to distribute 10 or fewer copies of the same publication on one or more days to students must distribute such material at times and places and in a manner that will not cause substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation and discipline of the school or school activities and in compliance with paragraphs 4, 5, 6, and 7.