Policies – the pub hub

KHS Press is the umbrella title for the journalism publications of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas. KHS Press editorial policy is submitted to the principal for review annually and remains on file in the journalism laboratory.

The Prowler is the official student yearbook at Kempner High School and KHS Cougar News is the official student broadcast at Kempner High School. The yearbook has been titled The Prowler since the first volume and, as tradition of the school, this name should not be changed under any circumstance.

Freedom of the Press

KHS Press believes it is essential to preserve the freedom of the press in order to preserve a free society. Therefore:

the school publications will serve the best interest of the students of Kempner High School and keep themselves free from any other obligation
the staff of the school publications will accept guidance from its adviser, but will make its own editorial decisions
the editorial board may veto any material intended for publication, judged to be in violation of editorial policy

The Editorial Board

the editorial board will consist of the students serving as yearbook editors and broadcast producers
no member of the editorial board shall have more than one vote on the board
The school publications staff will elect replacements for board members that have been dismissed
Yearbook editors will take vital part in communication with the publisher.

The Adviser

the adviser is a professional teaching staff member and is in charge of the class just as in a normal classroom situation
the adviser is a certified journalism teacher that serves as professional role model, motivator, catalyst for ideas and professionalism, and an educational resource
the adviser provides a journalistically professional learning atmosphere and experience for students by allowing them to make the decisions of content for the publication, and ensuring the publication will remain an open forum
the adviser guides the publications staff in accordance with approved editorial policy and aids the educational process related to producing the yearbook and broadcast
the adviser may caution, act as consultant and educator in terms of unprotected speech, has no power of censorship or veto except for constitutionally valid reasons such as inciting a riot, obscenity, defamation, intrusion, appropriation. For further descriptions of these constitutionally valid reasons for censorship, see the Quill and Scroll Foundation’s Principal’s Guide to Scholastic Journalism
the adviser will keep abreast of the latest trends in journalism and share these with students
the adviser will submit the school yearbook and contributions of students to rating services and contests so the publications staff receives feedback
the adviser will provide information to the staff about journalism scholarships and other financial aid, and make available information and contacts concerning journalism as a career
the adviser will work with the faculty and administration to help them understand the freedoms accorded the students and the professional goals of the school yearbook and broadcast

Fort Bend ISD School Board Policy

LEGAL FRAMEWORK:

The District’s educators shall exercise editorial control over style and content of student speech in school-sponsored expressive activities so long as their actions are reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.

The District may refuse to disseminate or sponsor student speech that:

Would substantially interfere with the work of the school.
Impinges on the rights of other students.
Is vulgar or profane.
Might reasonably be perceived to advocate drug or alcohol use, irresponsible sex, or conduct otherwise inconsistent with the shared values of a civilized social order.
Is inappropriate for the level of maturity of the readers.
Does not meet the standards of the educators who supervise the production of the publication.
Associates the school with any position other than neutrality on matters of political controversy.

Hazelwood Sch. Dist. v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260, 108 S. Ct. 562 (1988)

LOCAL POLICY:

All publications edited, printed, or distributed in the name of or within the District schools shall be under the control of the school administration and the Board. All publications approved and issued by individual schools shall be part of the instructional program, under the supervision of a faculty sponsor, and shall be carefully edited to reflect the ideals and expectations of the citizens of the District for their schools. The principal shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to the organization, issuance, and sale of such publications and any other publication procedure, subject to the Superintendent’s approval.

ADVERTISING

Advertising in individual school publications may be accepted from bona fide business firms, subject to the approval of professional employees exercising editorial supervision over the publications. Advertising deemed inappropriate for student readers or that advertises products presenting a health hazard, such as alcohol or tobacco products, shall not be accepted.

COMPLAINTS

Students who have a complaint regarding the procedures or a professional decision affecting the content or style of a school-sponsored publication shall present that complaint in accordance with FNG.

Purpose of the Yearbook

The role of the school yearbook is to inform, interpret, and entertain through accurate and factual reports. The yearbook serves as a historical record of the academic year and strives to adhere to professional journalistic standards, therefore it must seek to accurately represent the campus and refrain from serving as a vehicle for public relations and promotional materials, with the exception of paid, clearly identified advertisements.

the school yearbook is to serve as an educational laboratory experience for students serving as publications staff members
the school yearbook will run as an open forum
the school yearbook will strive to be accurate, fair, impartial and responsible in its coverage of issues that affect the school community
the goal of the school yearbook is to cover the total school population as effectively and accurately as possible

Purpose of the Broadcast

As a scholastic broadcast journalism program, our mission is to serve the students and staff of Kempner High School, as well as the surrounding community of Sugar Land, Texas.

To do this, our student reporters produce a news show with announcements, community news and feature stories, as well as coverage on national news and issues.

the school broadcast is to serve as an educational laboratory experience for students serving as publications staff members
the school broadcast will run as an open forum
the school broadcast will strive to be accurate, fair, impartial and responsible in its coverage of issues that affect the school community
the goal of the school broadcast is to serve the total school population as effectively and accurately as possible

Regarding Profanity

the school publications will not publish any obscene language
the editorial board reserves the right to edit quotes for profanity or possible offensive words
any edited quote will be shown to the source prior to publishing
the editorial board will make the determination as to whether or not specific words will be considered profane or offensive
photos with profanity must be considered newsworthy unless otherwise noted

Regarding Content

the editorial board determines content, priority, placement and space given to all material
the school publications will not publish any material that is obscene, libelous, invasive of others’ privacy or that encourages physical disruption of school activities
the school publications will not publish any attack material regarding individuals, religion, gender, age, mental or physical ability, ethnicity, race, culture, or lifestyle choices
the school publications will not publish any material that can be presumed to violate copyright law and student staff members will carefully adhere to expectations of fair use, creator permission, and attribution.
the school publications will not publish any material for which there is evidence that the author is using the publication for inappropriate personal gain
the school publications do not criticize policy without providing for solutions or alternatives
the school publications will endeavor to provide a chance for comment on all sides of a critical issue in the same edition
the editorial board reserves the right to refuse any material not deemed up to the standards set
the editorial board retains the right to amend this policy if the need arises

Controversial Issues

All sides of a controversial issue will be presented and reviewed so as to refrain from any bias. In news, all sides of a school, community, city, state, national, or international political issue will be presented factually so as to inform, rather than promote or endorse. In determining coverage of controversial matters, the issue will be brought to the editorial board who must consider the following questions before publication:

Why is it a concern?
What is the journalistic purpose?
Is the information accurate and complete?
Are any important points-of-view omitted?
How would we feel if the story was about ourselves or someone we know?
What are the consequences of publication?
What are the alternatives?
Is there a logical explanation to anyone who challenges the issue?
Is this a mountain we want to die on?

Regarding Bylines

all articles, graphics, photographs, art, columns, pages and reviews published will be given proper attribution (bylines) unless determined otherwise by the editorial board
all bylined writers will be held accountable for their work

Regarding Coverage

the school publications will specialize in and emphasize coverage of school news
the school publications will cover community, state, national, and international news if it is directly relevant to the school community and includes a local angle
the school publications will strive to provide equitable coverage to all school organizations and functions
when faced with the undesirable news such as student, staff or faculty crimes, the school publications will endeavor to publish the facts correctly, explain the issues, and put a stop to any speculative stories that inevitably develop
the school publications will not refrain from covering news that is relevant, impactful or important to the school community simply because the news is undesirable

Regarding Deaths

any current student, staff member, faculty member, or building administrator that dies during the year may be recognized in the school yearbook
at the request of the family, the school yearbook will publish factual information (date of birth, date of death, survivors, organizations, hobbies and interests) and one 1” x 2” portrait if possible in a 1/8 page space
the school yearbook will first obtain permission from the deceased’s family before publishing any information regarding the cause of death
the school yearbook will treat
all deaths in a tasteful and respectful manner
the yearbook or any portion of it should not be dedicated to or in memory of the deceased
cause of death will be listed at the discretion of the editorial board, however suicide will not be listed as a cause of death

Photos, Graphics & Videos

all photographers will strive to record the who, what, where, when, why and how of all photographs taken whether of individuals, places, or things
students, faculty and staff may submit photographs for consideration in the school yearbook. However, photographs submitted in lieu of allowing student reporters to cover an event will not be considered.
all photographs in the school yearbook must be captioned
all photographs or videos which may identify, by class or club, special needs students must have the necessary signatures on a photograph release prior to publishing
photographs printed in the school yearbook are displayed as taken; images will not be flipped
any photographs that must be re-shot due to inappropriate attire or actions by the individuals in the photo, those individuals will pay for all additional photo expenses
artwork represents the interpretations of the artist, not necessarily the yearbook staff or Kempner High School.
the school publications will not publish any photographs, illustrations, videos etc., that ridicule, demean, or misleadingly represent any individual or group
manipulated photos will be listed as a photo illustration
the yearbook staff will limit the inclusion of photographs submitted by non-students

Regarding Errors

concerns about errors in the school yearbook may be submitted to the school yearbook through the adviser or current editors
the editorial board retains the right to determine whether, in-fact, an error has been made
known and or found errors in the broadcast that are brought to the attention of the broadcast producers will be addressed, regardless if realized by staff or audience member
the editorial board and yearbook editors retain the right to determine what correction, if any, can and should be made for errors that appear in the yearbook after publication and distribution

Regarding Advertising

the publications will not accept advertising for products that are illegal for minors to purchase, consume or use
the publications will not accept classified advertising
all ads need to be approved by the editorial board. Any ad not deemed appropriate by the board will not run
if a published advertisement is incorrect in substantive content a reduced price or corrected run will be negotiated
advertisements that appear in school publications are not necessarily endorsed by the school publications or its staff members, editorial board or adviser
senior ads will be accepted until the date specified by yearbook staff, and thereafter accepted only if space permits
any ads that attempt to circumvent the style and layout options online are subject to revision at the discretion of the editorial board and yearbook editors
the school publications staff reserves the right to refuse any advertisement
Regarding advertisements purchased offline:
- the school yearbook will not run advertising without the proper signature on an advertising contract which explains the terms of payment, the content, size, publishing dates, and includes an attached layout
- the school yearbook will cease to publish advertising of any advertiser that does not meet the payment obligations specified in the school contract
- all ads MUST be proofed by the business or family purchasing the ad before being sent to the publisher for submission, no exceptions

Regarding Distribution

the school yearbook will be distributed at the beginning of the following school year, unless specified otherwise by the adviser and editorial board.
the school yearbook will be sold for the lowest price from registration until August 31.
advertising revenues and fundraising are to be used to pay for the school yearbook’s printing costs, supplies and other expenses, such as conventions, contests and camps.
all budget surpluses are to be used for future production of the school yearbook
exchange yearbooks are received and displayed in the journalism laboratory

Staff Dismissals

KHS Press is considered a team. Each member is expected to complete all assigned stories, pages, photos, etc.. on or before the deadline assigned. Staff members, including editors, may be dismissed from their positions or KHS Press staff itself if any of the following violations occur:

continuously missed deadlines
plagiarism
quote falsification
vandalism or theft of publication equipment
continuous negative or pessimistic attitude towards a staff member or the adviser.
submitting a page designed by any staff member to anyone outside The Prowler staff
removal to DAEP
failing to fulfill job as outlined in the job description
major infractions will result in immediate dismissal from staff
duties and dismissal from the class and staff at the end of the semester (major infractions include, but are not limited to the following: plagiarism, vandalism/theft)
minor infractions will be given a written warning for the first one. The second one in any academic year will result in immediate dismissal from staff duties and dismissal from the class and staff at the end of the semester
warnings will be written, signed by adviser and editor-in-chief(s), as well as the staff member in question as well as his/her parent(s)/guardian(s)
an editor will be stripped of his/her title if suspended
each member of the Editorial Board and the adviser will attend a meeting with the potentially dismissed student to discuss the issue. The adviser will then make the final decision.
the academic nature of the school yearbook class allows removal of editors or staff members when school and/or established yearbook policy is violated
the above listed infractions could all result in a staff dismissal, however, staff dismissals are not limited to the listed infractions
dismissed staff members receiving academic credit may be given a grade of F and will not be allowed to register for any other journalism courses (will not preempt school policy).
dismissal procedures follow editorial board policy
dismissed staff members may appeal their dismissal in writing to the editorial board and adviser by following editorial board procedures

Queries

questions or complaints concerning material published in the school publications should be made in writing to the editor-in-chief(s) who will present the concern at the next scheduled editorial board meeting
resolutions will be made within the limits of deadlines
requests for coverage of specific activities, events or news should be directed toward current editors and/or producers, who are then responsible for coordinating coverage if the editorial board deems it appropriate

Affiliations

the school publications should be a member of state, national, and/or international organizations
the school publications maintain membership in the Interscholastic League Press Association, which serves as the journalism branch of UIL.

Prior Review Policy

sources will be able to review their quotes at the time of interview or at the reporter’s initiative
sources will not be able to arbitrarily demand to read the reporter’s completed story and then perform editing tasks on that story
the school yearbook reporters will endeavor to include the name and/or identity of all sources if the reporter believes that doing so will not result in endangerment, harassment or any other form of undue physical, mental and/or emotional anguish for the source
reporters will not refrain from identifying sources or subjects without good reason, agreed upon by the editorial board. Any circumstance that may require anonymity for a source or subject must be presented to the full editorial board for a decision and the adviser should not be provided with identifying information about the source.
paid space in the yearbook (advertisements) must be reviewed by the purchaser prior to publication
unpaid coverage of sports, clubs, or other activities will not be reviewed by the sponsor, coach or members unless deemed necessary by the reporter and editorial board for verification purposes.

Editor/Staff Selection

the editor-in-chief(s), managing editor, executive producer and assistant producers are chosen by the faculty adviser
all subsequent leadership is selected by the adviser in collaboration with top leadership
new and returning staff are judged by application, interview, previous work, and prerequisite class work
applicants are not turned down because of age, sex, race, religion, mental or physical handicaps that do not impair their editorial responsibilities
editor-in-chief(s) and producers must attend a summer journalism camp if it is made available.

Portrait Policy

senior portraits must be taken by company specified by yearbook staff
all senior portraits must arrive to the yearbook staff by the posted date given to the yearbook staff by the senior portrait photographer
any senior who fails to get their yearbook portrait taken by the senior photographer contracted by the yearbook staff, will not be pictured in the yearbook portraits section
portraits provided by the school photographer will be used for students in grades 9-11 and for the faculty members. Because of plant deadlines and the possibility of students missing portrait day, the yearbook staff is not responsible for unavailable portraits of students
fall portraits taken on dates specified at the beginning of the year will be included in the yearbook. Spring portraits will not.
the section/grade placement of student portraits will be determined by the student’s first semester status at the start of the school year
grade designations will only be changed with written permission by student, student’s parent, and a member of the administration and the adviser should by notified by September 30 if a student believes their grade should be shown differently than is listed in Skyward
editorial board reserves the right to review or omit questionable or inappropriate portraits
names in the portrait section will appear as supplied by the student during picture day unless otherwise requested
portraits will consist of one individual only. No other persons or props are permitted

Group Portrait Policy

any groups with school sponsors are eligible to take a group photo
students who miss or are unable to attend club portrait sessions will not be ‘added in’ later
the school yearbook will not alter images to remove members who not longer participate in an activity and will not knowingly accept altered images for publication
the editorial board reserves the right to review or omit questionable or inappropriate group portraits
portraits will consist of group members and sponsors only. Props are not permitted without prior approval.

Credit

The contents of this editorial policy are adapted from those written by Andrea Negri for Hastings High School, which were based on the Excalibur editorial policies at Francis Howell North in St. Charles, MO. This policy retains much of the framework and wording from the original sources.

Section: Policies

Editorial Policies