Choosing Your Battles

I've had the opportunity to share this story with many of you with whom I've spoken this past week. To the rest of you, this is why I was particularly excited for the SPLC presentation this morning, for the opportunity to meet and interview Mike Hiestand, and the sole reason why I chose my topic for the institute's publication.

My staff of fifteen students is tasked with producing a 12-page monthly newspaper and a 144-page yearbook as part of my Print Media Workshop (PMW) course. One of our biggest challenges has been covering the many events they need to cover with just two DSLR cameras in our equipment closet. Such a hurdle makes it challenging in and of itself without the push-back of other teachers/administrators; however, that is exactly what my students have been dealing with as of late.

Our yearbook dedicates a page to each academic department and strives to represent every class within each department equally. One teacher at my school has made this impossible as he has denied access to my photojournalists consistently over the past few years. While I just completed my first year as PMW adviser, my predecessor also experienced similar issues with the same teacher.

After a considerable amount of research and a series of discussions with press law experts and institute colleagues, I'm finding that the law itself cannot force his hand, which is disappointing, as his uncooperative actions affects the students and only the students. Sadlly, this may be a situation where I have to simply choose my battles...or wait him out until he retires.


Aaron Fitzpatrick
Freedom Area High School
Freedom, Pa