ELHS Principal Resolves Newspaper Issues, ELPS Board Introduces New Curriculum Director

East Lansing High School’s school newspaper will not be placed under prior review by the school administration this coming school year, and may even be considered to be a “public forum” in the future – giving its student journalists the highest standard of protection under the U.S. Constitution.

High School Principal Coby Fletcher addressed the East Lansing Board of Education Monday night and told them that, after meeting with the incoming staff for the student newspaper, the ELHS Portrait, he has decided that he no longer needs prior review of articles before the newspaper is published. He also made a move that would essentially prevent himself or other administrators from conducting prior review in the future.

Last academic year, co-editors of the Portrait, Evan Hoopingarner and Stefan Lindahl appeared before the board with complaints that Mr. Fletcher had instituted a policy that required he approve all articles before publication. (Read the complaints in written form here.) The students were frustrated with what they saw as arbitrary changes and unaccountable delays in approving articles that were timely by nature. They also charged that Mr. Fletcher was unwilling to meet with them to discuss the issues.

Mr. Hoopingarner, who graduated this spring, spoke during public comments last night and expressed his happiness at this change of heart from Mr. Fletcher.

“I had an entire spiel written up in case this went one way and I’m glad I don’t have to give it. So I will just ad lib to say this is the best decision for The Portrait and for the student body,” said Mr. Hoopingarner. “I am happy to leave the incoming editors with a much better working relationship with the administration than I had.”

Fletcher had required all articles to come before him after the student newspaper published an article that inaccurately stated that teachers were working without pay during contract negotiations. The student editors responded to the error with a retraction and a published apology.

He said that, while he is not a lawyer, he believed that The Portrait currently meets the three legal standards to be considered a “limited public forum:” it is under advisement of a staff member, offers skills to students who participate, and uses school resources. As a limited public forum or “a voice of the school” the publication can be reviewed by administration prior to publication because the school gives “tacit approval” by allowing the publication.

“As such, I believe it is the principal’s role to decide when circumstances require him or her to balance the importance of student expression with a degree of suitability to the school environment,” he said.

However, Mr. Fletcher believes the school as well as the paper would be better served if the paper was under complete editorial control of the student editors.

“As principal, I do not exercise the right of prior administrative review with a desire to censor what is in the school newspaper. In fact in ten years of public school administration, I have only requested prior review once: last year. To be frank I would rather not exercise prior administrative review,” he said. “I see no reason to continue to request prior administrative review given a new slate of editors and a fresh start to the school year. As such, it is business as usual for both myself and Portrait staff. I see no reason to interfere in their work.”

Further, Mr. Fletcher asked that district help him clearly define The Portrait as a “public forum” instead of a “limited public forum” as outlined in the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. This sets the standard for prior review only in cases when the content “will cause substantial disruption to the educational environment, a very high standard,” he said. This is also known as the “Tinker standard”, Mr. Fletcher said.

He suggested introducing a statement into the student handbook that would state “The ELHS Portrait is East Lansing High School’s student newspaper. Because East Lansing Public Schools respects and values student free speech, the ELHS Portrait is a public forum publication. While school staff may advise student contributions, the content of the student newspaper is solely the responsibility of student editors.”

Board members were largely in support of Mr. Fletcher’s proposal but took no action. Mr. Fletcher stated that because the board approves the student handbook, they would be giving their approval to the change in policy at that time.

The school will continue to provide funds and supplies for the newspaper – budgeted at about $5,000 a year – and staff the advisor position.

In addition, Mr. Fletcher is currently interviewing candidates for a new journalism teaching position that would incorporate both broadcast and print journalism. Students taking journalism classes would have the opportunity to offer their articles for publication in The Portrait but the ultimate choice would remain with the student editors – an arrangement that took place from 2005 to 2010. In 2010, ELHS lost its journalism teacher and stopped offering the course.

This helped alleviate the concerns of Board member Hillary Henderson who expressed concern that having only students on the paper would not ensure that younger writers would be properly trained in journalism.

Mr. Hoopingarner, who will be studying cell biology at the University of Michigan this fall, told the board that currently, senior writers and editors work together to educate new writers and teach them proper journalistic style and ethics.

Present for the East Lansing Public Schools (ELPS) were Superintendent Robyne Thompson and Board members Yasmina Bouraoui, Erin Graham, President Nell Kuhnmuench, Hillary Henderson (via phone; arriving in person at 7:39 p.m.) and Kate Powers.

Other action:

Marble Elementary School Principal Dori Leyko was introduced to the board as new Director of Curriculum for East Lansing Public Schools. A new principal has not yet been selected. Interviews will take place next week.

The board unanimously decided that all work sessions would be recorded in the same manner as the regularly-scheduled board meetings.

Public Comment:

Charles Hoogstraten, resident of the Bailey neighborhood, addressed the board regarding a possible upcoming bond proposal. He said that in his experience opposing the closure of the Bailey Community Center, the public was swayed by the tactic of the City representatives pointing out the number of children served by the Bailey Center who were not residents of East Lansing.

Mr. Hoogstraten, who supports a bond to pay for rebuilding East Lansing schools, is worried that a similar tact could be successful in defeating the bond measure. He is concerned that those against the bond may use enrollment figures under Schools of Choice to point out to voters that some of the students in East Lansing Public Schools do not live in the district and would not be subject to the tax increase. President Kuhnmuench responded that the board was “not unaware of that point” and is considering a series of bonds instead of a single bond in order to address the “unknowns” of future student population makeup.