CJR: Covering investigative stories in high school

Last September, a high school newspaper in Vermont published a story uncovering allegations of unprofessional conduct against a school counselor. The interim principal censored the story from the Burlington High School Register, but the story did not end there according to the Columbia Journalism Review.

The attempt to censor the story led to a complaint from students that their First Amendment rights and the state’s New Voices legislation had been violated. New Voices legislation, developed in 14 states, seeks to protect student journalists from administrative review and prior restraint. The students continued to cover the case, and state officials eventually revoked the counselor’s license.

So, how can student journalists conduct investigative reporting when school officials are involved? What obstacles might students face in covering potential misconduct? What happens in states without New Voices legislation?

Read more on the subject from the Columbia Journalism Review.