Feeling empowered

Today’s session on Law and the Student Press was more than informational.  I came away feeling empowered.  Mike Hiestand’s presentation on the major cases concerning student press was a great refresher.  The real take aways came in his answers to fellows’ specific questions. 

I’ve recently had my first “directive” from my administration concerning yearbook.  As a result, he said in a recent email, “the book will need to go through an administrative approval process.”  My head  was spinning for the first day and a half after receiving the email.  One of Mike’s comments put me more at ease.  “Prior review is reading only.”  So even with prior review, I’m not as afraid of having students’s work CENSORED. 

I wanted to stand up and cheer when Mike said, “If we’re afraid of how kids use social media, we need to teach them how to use social media.”  A large number of teachers and administrators in my building and in the district don’t understand or use social media and in fear of “being sued.”  Playing it safe has become our motto.  

Mike Hiestand, SPLC Consulting Attorney, explains the Tinker v. Des Moines case to fellows.  Hiestand and Mary Beth Tinker will be touring this fall; see http://tinkertourusa.org/.

I see this as flying in the face of our goal as educators.  I tell my students that they use technology as a toy and it’s my job to show them how to use it as a tool. 

My experience at the Reynolds Institute continues to inform and mold me as an adviser and leading me to think of myself as a journalist who teaches.

Karen L. Swortzel
Alleghany High School
Covington, Va.