The Student Press Law Center announced on Thursday that two NorCal high school journalism students and their adviser at the Oracle at Mountain View High School are suing their administration and district for allegedly violating California Education Code 48907, which guarantees students press freedoms in the state.
The plaintiffs allege the principal unlawfully pressured students to change an investigative piece and write about the school in a “positive light,” and then retaliated against the program and adviser by eliminating an introductory course and reassigning the teacher.
This news, coming from the Student Press Law Center, on Scholastic Journalism Day, highlights how — even in California, which has the nation’s oldest and strongest student press laws — defending student free expression rights requires vigilance, persistence and bravery.
It also requires the substantial legal expertise and support of the Student Press Law Center and its network of pro bono First Amendment attorneys.
These links provide more information about Scholastic Journalism Week; Student Press Freedom Day; Student Press Law Center. The links below highlight censorship concerns at MVHS over the past year by NorCal student media and the professional press:
Winter 2024 coverage
- Feb. 24, The Talon (Los Altos High School) — “
Fall 2023 coverage
- Dec. 8 Verde magazine — “Journalists seek justice: Students fight for freedom of press”
- Dec. 1 Verde magazine (Palo Alto High School) — “Editorial: Defend student press at Mountain View High School”
- Oct. 17 Mountain View Voice — “Student journalist and former advisor threaten lawsuit over ‘de facto censorship’ at Mountain View High“
- Oct. 16 Los Altos Town Crier — “Student journalist, teacher threaten lawsuit against Mountain View High administrators“
- Oct 14 Harker Aquila (The Harker School): “To publish what we want to publish’: Mountain View High School journalism censorship“
- Oct. 9 Palo Alto Daily Post — “High school threatened with lawsuit over allegations it censored student journalists
- Oct. 5 The Talon (Los Altos High School news) — “Editor and former adviser of MVHS newspaper threaten to sue over alleged censorship“
Spring 2023 coverage
- June 5 Palo Alto Daily Post: “Opinion: School administrators should back off student newspaper“
- May 22 Midpeninsula Post: “Mountain View High announces changes to journalism program“
- May 19 Palo Alto Daily Post: “High school paper’s adviser re-assigned, students fear retaliation from administration over article“
- May 19: Mountain View Voice — “High school paper’s adviser re-assigned, students fear retaliation from administration over article“
- May 15 Los Altos Town Crier: “Changes come to MVHS journalism program amid controversy over article“
- May 15 Mountain View Voice: “Under threat? Concerns swirl about student journalism’s future at Mountain View High after teacher is abruptly reassigned“
- May 9 Oracle (Mountain View High School): “Clarifications on MVHS journalism program changes“
