HARRISBURG (June 23, 2023) – Legislation calling for stronger protections for student journalists was supported by students from Conestoga High School and others at a press conference in Pennsylvania State Capitol this week.
The legislation, Senate Bill 622 introduced by state Senator Carolyn Comitta and House Bill 1309 by state Representative Melissa Shusterman, calls for school districts to implement policies that place administrative review of student publications and communications in the hands of student editors to help ensure journalistic integrity.
Currently, Pennsylvania’s education regulations ensure students have the right to express themselves, but still allow principals and school administrators to review and have the final say on pieces of student journalism.
“A free press is fundamental to our democracy. That’s why it’s so important that we empower and inspire the next generation of journalists to use their voices with accountability, integrity, and freedom in schools and communities across Pennsylvania,” Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee, said. “As a former public school teacher, I am proud to support this legislation and the vital role of local journalism and a free press in our schools and communities.”
“I have a lot of hope for the next generation of young people. They are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in, and we need their energy and leadership in our communities. Their voices also need to be heard, so passing this legislation to guarantee freedom of speech for student journalists is vital. We can’t take away their voice just as these young people are defining themselves and becoming passionate about the world around them,” said state Rep. Melissa Shusterman.
“With the Student Journalism Protection Act, we can ensure that no student journalist or faculty advisor is illegally censored or threatened for publishing factual, important stories for their communities. When we give our Pennsylvania student journalists the security to learn how to be responsible, ethical, unbiased journalists without fear of retaliation, we are investing in the future of our news media,” said Ben Shapiro, a rising senior at Conestoga High School and editor-in-chief of its award-winning newspaper, The Spoke.
In addition to Conestoga High School, Comitta and Shusterman were joined by nearly two dozen student journalists and advisors from Conestoga High School in Chester County, Freedom Area High School in Beaver County, and State College Area High School in Centre County, as well as representatives from the Pennsylvania School Press Association, the Journalism Education Association, and the Student Press Law Center.
“Student journalists want to focus on honest and ethical journalism that reflects their communities, not on navigating the subjective and arbitrary concerns of adults in and outside of their school. No student should be forced to silence their truths to protect their teachers, and no teacher should lose their job for supporting their students’ quality work,” said Hillary Davis, Advocacy and Organizing Director for the Student Press Law Center. “We are proud to support the student journalists of Pennsylvania, and thank Senator Comitta and Representative Shusterman for all their work on this important bill. We look forward to celebrating Pennsylvania as the eighteenth state to protect student press freedom!”
Comitta also noted that supporting student journalists is especially important given the national decline in local newspapers. Between 2004 and 2019, there was a 29 percent decrease in local newspapers across the U.S. With nothing to replace them, student journalists may be the sole source of news in some communities.
Following the press conference, the students spent the day advocating for Senate Bill 622 and House Bill 1309, which are both currently before their respective Education Committees.
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