Staff thanks administration for public forum, allowing students to express themselves freely
Staff Editorial
Arlingtonian is an award-winning publication that has highlighted an array of relevant topics throughout the year, investigating issues from within the classroom as well as those on a more global scale. The publication’s success can be attributed to the journalistic freedom granted by the Upper Arlington administration.
We want to give a round of applause to the UA administration; it has helped Arlingtonian maintain its journalistic integrity since the district formally acknowledged the publication as a public forum free from prior review in 1991.
Some districts mandate a closed forum policy, where all student-published work is first reviewed by the administration, thus compromising authenticity and originality. This practice is called prior review, and it can prevent students from courageously and freely reporting on any wide array of topics.
However, our administration has allowed the Arlingtonian staff to determine its content without administrative interference. This gives us the freedom and responsibility to be a newsmagazine that informs our readers about current events, in the world and in our community.
This school year we explored a variety of controversial topics. We have tried to educate the student body about such issues as sexuality, domestic violence, concussions and racism, among others.
In addition to controversial topics, our policy has allowed us to praise and criticize our school system without interference. We believe feedback and constructive criticism are essential for the growth and improvement of our education system. Arlingtonian often pursues stories on the shortcomings of our curriculums or educational standards, but we do so not only to inform, but also to incite change.
A more independent and authentic publication allows for a more well-informed student body. The power of Arlingtonian isn’t confined to just a magazine. Instead, it has the ability to influence perspectives and ignite conversation. A better Arlingtonian creates an overall better school, better community and better society. Much of this is due to the district’s decision to allow the staff to operate as a public forum for student expression, free from prior review. And for that, we thank the administration.