Support students who
believe using the ethic slur "Redskins"
in their school newspaper is wrong but who may be forced to do
so by their district's school board
CLICK
HERE to send an email to the entire school board, the
school superintendent, and sports editor of the school
newspaper.
05/02/14 - Statement of national journalism education organizations on proposed Neshaminy School District student media policy including Kent State University, Columbia, Kansas State University, and the University of Iowa.
05/07/14 - Student newspaper staff implores Neshaminy board to reject policy preventing their paper from banning use of ‘Redskins’*** *** ***
Letter received by AISTM.org from Playwickian student newspaper sport editor on 05/02/2014:
Back in October, our editorial board made the decision to ban the word "Redskin" which is the Neshaminy High School mascot from the pages of our student newspaper because a majority of the board feels this is an offensive, racial slur.
http://playwickian.com/unsigned-editorial-why-we-wont-publish-the-r-word/The school district directed us to remove the ban and to print the word if a writer or advertiser chooses to use it. Not only is compelled speech unconstitutional, compelling students to use a racial slur is unconscionable.
Tuesday night at a Neshaminy School Board policy committee meeting (in Bucks County, Pa.), the board recommended a revised policy in regards to all school publications. This policy which is 9 pages in length, covers a variety of topics, including social media, electronic publications, school officials' authority, common procedure-- and our mascot controversy.
In section 10 of the proposed policy, the board states that the editors of the paper may not attempt to establish itself as a public forum, may not attempt to reject advertisements, or enforce their policy to edit out or otherwise omit the term "Redskin." In addition, they took the audacious step to state "the term shall not be construed as a racial or ethnic slur" - dictating to the students, teachers and community how they should feel about a word.
On Tuesday, May 6, the Neshaminy School Board will be voting on these punitive revisions that place many constraints on we, the editors of the Playwickian. This meeting will be held at Maple Point Middle School in Langhorne, Pa. at 6:30 PM in the District Office's Board Room.
We ask and encourage anyone who believes in student press rights and human rights to attend this meeting or email/call our school board directors and comment on this new policy recommendation before it is solidified. We need you to stand with us.Below I have attached the addresses of the board of school directors and links to Washington Post and Bucks County Courier Times articles about the meeting and an editorial from the paper supporting the students.
Mr. Robert Copeland - Superintendent
rcopeland@neshaminy.k12.pa.usBoard of School Directors:-
Mr. Scott E. Congdon, Region 1 - President scongdon@neshaminy.k12.pa.usMs. Irene M. Boyle, Region 3 - Vice President iboyle@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
Mr. John V. Allen, Region 2 jallen@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
Mrs. Susan Cummings, Region 1 scummings@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
Mr. Mike Morris, Region 2 mmorris@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
Mr. Stephen Pirritano, Region 1 spirritano@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
Mr. Ron Rudy, Region 3 rrudy@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
Mr. Mark Shubin, Region 3 mshubin@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
Mr. Anthony Sposato, Region 2 asposato@neshaminy.k12.pa.us
From:
Reed Hennessy reed.hennessy@gmail.com
Sports Editor, Playwickian Newspaper
Neshaminy High School
2001 Old Lincoln Hwy.
Langhorne, Pa. 19047
215-809-6670American Indian Sports Team Mascots
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