Student Cartoonist Experiences Censorship Firsthand
Skip to comments
A Nebraska high school news site was ordered by school administrators to remove an editorial cartoon.
From Ben Schneider for the Student Press Law Center:
In February, Gretna East administrators told editors for Gretna East Media to remove from their website an editorial cartoon by student Aidan McClaren that was critical of ICE. Administrators then insisted they must approve any article about the censorship, imposing prior review on the publication that had previously operated with editorial independence.
In justifying the censorship, administrators said the cartoon’s opinion on a politically charged topic could reflect on the district, and that it could potentially alienate students or cause a disruption.
In a letter of support, Student Press Law Center staff attorney Jonathan Gaston-Falk wrote that the censorship prevents students from meaningfully engaging with controversial issues.
A fellow student filed an appeal with The Board of Education noting several issues with the censorship.
The Student Press Law Center lists several previous cases of “student media censorship” in Nebraska.
So far, over 350 members of the community have signed a petition in support of these students’ rights to expression. Click here to join their efforts.
Comments 1
Comments are closed.