{"id":329,"date":"2017-05-27T15:35:51","date_gmt":"2017-05-27T15:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vtpress.org\/vpa\/?p=329"},"modified":"2018-09-17T17:07:48","modified_gmt":"2018-09-17T17:07:48","slug":"new-vermont-law-provides-first-amendment-protections-to-students-and-teachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vtpress.org\/vpa\/2017\/05\/new-vermont-law-provides-first-amendment-protections-to-students-and-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"New Vermont law provides First Amendment protections to students and teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Contact:<\/strong>
\nMike Donoghue
\nExecutive Director
\n(802) 310-7866<\/p>\n

For immediate release:<\/p>\n

NEW VERMONT LAW PROVIDES FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

May 27, 2017<\/em><\/p>\n

SOUTH BURLINGTON\u2014Gov. Phil Scott has signed into law legislation that provides greater First Amendment protections for student journalists and their teachers\/advisers in Vermont.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Vermont Press Association is pleased the state Legislature moved quickly this year to provide proper First Amendment safeguards for student-journalists and their advisers,\u201d said VPA President Adam Silverman, an editor and writer at the Burlington Free Press.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSchool superintendents, principals and other administrators should refrain from censoring student publications. That is why there is a First Amendment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Vermont law<\/a> protects student journalists against retaliation for writing articles that address controversial political issues.\u00a0The bill also blocks retaliation against teachers\/advisers for articles written by students. Silverman said the law places speech in journalistic publications on par with students’ rights to speak on their T-shirts, leaflets, flyers, armbands and in all other parts of the school day.<\/p>\n

The new statute, along with an unrelated\u00a0shield\u00a0law bill, which also has been signed by Gov. Scott, were the two top priorities for the Press Association going into the legislative session, Silverman said.<\/p>\n

Student-journalists representing Burlington High, Bellows Free Academy-St. Albans, Woodstock Union and the University of Vermont were among witnesses who testified in favor of the new law.\u00a0A noted First Amendment law school professor, a longtime award-winning journalist and a university newspaper adviser also affirmed the need for the legislation in Vermont.<\/p>\n

The Vermont students testified about some pushback they received at their schools when trying to cover stories that had been reported by local professional\u00a0media\u00a0outlets.\u00a0The stories included reports on an impasse being declared for teacher negotiations, \u00a0a study of handicapped accessibility in school buildings, sexting cases by students and local rallies outside schools for Black Lives Matter.The Senate Education Committee and the full chamber passed the bill unanimously by Valentine\u2019s Day.\u00a0 The bill got mired in the House for two months before the Education and Judiciary committees considered it.\u00a0 The House eventually gave the bill the green light.<\/p>\n

Scott met with some of the witnesses for a ceremonial bill signing Thursday in South Burlington.\u00a0While the bill had to be signed earlier in the week to meet a legal legislative deadline, Scott said it was important to meet with the student-journalists and others involved in supporting the bill. Scott told the group that journalists play an important role in society and also said it was important for young Vermonters to be active in politics.<\/p>\n

The 58-year-old governor said he knows people his age who have never set foot inside the Statehouse.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we want to change the direction of this country or this state,\u00a0you have to get involved, right?\u00a0You have to get there, you have to step up,\u201d Scott told the group.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving the press be able to tell the stories without being victimized is important in keeping politicians honest.\u00a0I thank you for your efforts.\u00a0I look forward to your futures,\u201d Scott told the student-journalists.<\/p>\n

Scott provided the witnesses with official pens from the Governor\u2019s Office to commemorate the historic bill signing.<\/p>\n

The legislation is part of a national effort by the Student Press Law Center in Washington, D.C., to \u00a0reverse a troubling 1988 U.S. Supreme Court case known as the \u201cHazelwood decision\u201d that allowed censorship of \u00a0First Amendment rights for students.<\/p>\n

The Vermont Press Association, the New England First Amendment Coalition and Journalism Education Association were on the ground floor helping the Student Press Law Center organize efforts in Vermont. A group known as \u201cNew Voices \u2013 Vermont\u201d included high school and college students, student newspaper advisers and teachers, professional journalists, academics and others concerned about the First Amendment and the future of journalism in this country.<\/p>\n

Vermont becomes the\u00a011th state with a New Voices-type statute, according to attorney Frank LoMonte, executive director of the press law center.\u00a0LoMonte said the Vermont legislation is now considered the benchmark for future legislation in other states.<\/p>\n

Vermont joins Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Dakota and Oregon.<\/p>\n

Efforts are ongoing to seek similar bills in the remaining states.<\/p>\n

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