I think teachers and principals are always in a danged if you do, danged if you don't position. You can be fairly sure that even if the majority of parents are fine with the editorial, the few who are not will make a big noise and distract the school from its purpose - to teach academics.

Minors don't have rights to the extent that adults do, nor do they need such rights. It is not necessary to publish their opinions without censorship in a school newspaper.

A school newspaper will be assumed by most kids / parents to contain only school-approved materials; hence, it should be subject to the same level of review as any other part of the curriculum. A certain level of responsibility to kids' and parents' sensistivities is in order.

If anyone really thought this was not a controversial issue, at least with some in the population, then they need oversight and education on the diversity of this country. I have nothing against gays, but it's pretty clear that lots of people in the US don't want their kids reading about "gay is OK" in school.

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This is just sad. You are correct that as of this time the court rulings give principals the right to prior review, but I believe true educators should choose not to exercise prior review. How can a journalism teacher teach responsible, ethical and true journalism if they are being relegated to nothing more than a pep squad on paper? There is nothing wrong with a PR publication by the school, but the student newspaper shouldn't be one of them. How can a teacher truly show the power of the press to evoke positive change when anything with a hint of controversy is censored?

My husband has been a high school journalism adviser to award winning publications for seven years. He's had his run-ins with school administrators and had to call the SPLC also. It's sad that the very same articles that get praise from the scholastic journalism organizations and professional papers are the ones that he often gets flack from the administrators about.

Another thing, the article in question here was an OPINION article. That means that it was the views of that ONE WRITER, not the newspaper, not the school, and not the school district. Whether you agree with the opinion or not, it's an OPINION. It's also funny that, legally speaking, the school actually puts itself at more risk legally by exercising prior review. If administrators let the student newspaper be the public forum it should be, they are actually giving the school more protection than if they choose prior review.

I believe that students shouldn't have to wait until they leave the school to be handed their first amendment rights. Responsible and uncensored journalism can be practiced by high school students.

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When I was in high school the theatre department had a yearly tradition of putting on a series of one act plays that were written by students, directed by students, acted by students, and the whole show was produced by students. The drama teacher merely oversaw the production. Occasionally, someone would alleged that the material was "inappropriate for high schoolers". When the drama teacher was called upon to defend the show her reply would be, "How can this be inappropriate for high schoolers when high schoolers are the ones that are writing it?"

I did the show all four years of high school and subjects included domestic abuse, suicide, and yes, there were plays written about coming out. Whenever the content was challenged the teacher would reply the same way, and the issue was always resolved in a manner that allowed us kids to do the play uncensored.

One time, a parent decided to take their child out of the show that because there was a play that dealt with homophobia. That was their right, as their child was a minor. It was not their right to have the play not performed because they were uncomfortable with gay issues. There was about 40 other sets of parents who apparently had no issue with the subject matter.

I can understand if the article was sexually graphic or contained unnecessary swearing. It was an article about prejudice against gays. Even if such a notion as, "I think it is so wrong to look down on [gay] people, or to make fun of them, just because they have a different sexuality than you" was controversial, the subject matter was obviously something at least two students were dealing with. To have the principle declare it something that needed to be approved is asinine, and reflects poorly on his ability to look past his own prejudices to do his job.

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I think the line about "not following her responsibilities as a teacher" is the most hysterical thing I've seen all week.

Show your kids what actions to take when The Man tries to come down on you, and that's not teaching? Ha! Hahahahaha! Thanks for the laugh.

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As has been mentioned previously, this was an opinion piece. Those of you who are familiar with me know that I'm pretty conservative in my political views - I don't think that we should be teaching about homosexuality in gradeschool, and have taken quite a bit of heat for it - but this, in my opinion is different. This is one student's opinion, it is in a high school (not grade school) publication written by the students, for the students. Just from what I read, the student was presenting, in a respectful way, her own opinion. I see nothing wrong with that. And I have to wonder, if we changed the issue from homosexuality to, say, race or religion, ("...I think it is so wrong to look down on those people, or to make fun of them, just because they are a different *color/religion* than you.") would the principal have had such a fit?

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LS

From the "flaming liberal" to the "pretty conservative", thanks.

I couldn't have said it better.

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If a High School student is capable of writing an article on a certain issue in the school paper, that issue is most likely already a topic of discussion among the students in the school. There is nothing wrong with healthy discussion and debate among teenagers, like the debate this editorial seems to have stirred up.

I do feel for the principal though. He's probably getting attacked by parents who refuse to believe that their teenagers have gay friends or could possibly be gay themselves.

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When I was in high school, twenty (20) years ago, in a small farming community outside Tucson, we did a play dealing with teen issues. One was a scene dealing with homosexuality in a sensitive and considerate manner.

We never heard a word and we wound up winning competitions all over the state with it.

I don't see how something as passing as the quote in question could rile anyone but the most homophobic among us.

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