I believe that student press and the rights that come with it are important because they allow students to have a voice. Younger generations have just as many opinions as older generations too and with student press we can express those opinions and put them out for everyone to see.

Democracy is built on a foundation of freedom, and to me, no freedom is more vital than that of free speech. Free speech imparts the ability to identify and speak out against issues in our government and our community. Only by speaking out can we hope to progress as a society.

The voice of the press has the loudest voice of all. Journalism is the megaphone through which the concerns of the people are heard. And student journalism especially holds unique importance, for students are the future, and student journalists are the voices of the new generation.

When the press is silenced, the people are silenced. A society without a voice is not a society at all: it is a prison.

The 1st Amendment of the Constitution means different things to different people, but to me it means one word: change. It has given writers like me a chance to freely induce change in my society, and I am thankful for this power. 

The first amendment to me is how we students can fight for things we believe in and advocate for changes we think are necessary in our community.

I think that it is imperative for freedom of speech and press to be protected because otherwise, we would no longer have a way to speak against injustice. As student journalists in the United States, we are guaranteed the freedom of speech and press under the constitution; these rights should not be taken away from us no matter what.

As a citizen, I think it is important that we have the freedom to make a change in the country that we live in.  As a student journalist, the 1st amendment gives me the right to make an important connection to both my school and community.  Student free press rights would make this connection stronger.

Freedom of speech wields students with the power to enact change and act on their beliefs. When youths are given the ability to express their opinions, a future of growth and movement is ensured. Take Greta Thunberg, for example. Despite her young age, or perhaps because of it, she has been a voice of courage and hope in the battle against climate change. When we are allowed to use our voice, we are able to improve our world. Student newspapers provide a platform for youths to channel those voices and raise awareness for the changes they envision – and those voices have a right to be heard. 

Do you have a voice?

I know I do.

At our high school paper The Spoke, we write stories, layout pages, then print them and distribute. We explore what’s happening in our community and in editorials, we say how we feel about issues that matter to us. Through the mediums of paper and web, graphics and videos, we express ourselves and use our voices.

Importantly, from conception to print, administration doesn’t look at our stories, change our stories or cut our stories.

At schools across Pennsylvania and the country, however, many student journalists don’t get that privilege.

At schools like Fauquier High School’s paper “The Falconer,” where the principal pulled a news article on a drug, the principal looks through the paper before it’s printed and decides what prints and what doesn’t.

Somehow the voices of high school students have been deemed less valuable than those of adults who “know better.” Who maybe want to avoid controversy. Who maybe want the positives of their school emphasized and the darker parts not emphasized.

But student journalism is not less valuable. I, a 16-year-old junior, and my peers are not whining immaturely or complaining without cause. We’re saying what matters to kids like us, in communities like our own.

To me, free speech means liberty—the liberty to speak up for what is important and to speak out against what is wrong. To attack free speech is to silence the people. That’s why free speech is especially important to student journalists.

To me, journalism isn’t just about the story. It’s a form of expression, and it’s meant to be honest. As students, it is our only opportunity to have a voice. We deserve to tell our own story—our own truth. Already, our lives seems to be so filtered and focused on embellishment. With journalism, however, we can be open. We can say what we want, but most importantly, we know that what we write is meaningful. Writing loses its value when it’s constantly being reviewed, revised, and reformed into only a shell of its original form. Free speech fosters originality, and with it, we are each given our own unique voice.

The Washington Post’s tagline “Democracy dies in darkness” cannot be dismissed in today’s society. The founding fathers understood this. The first amendment was created to ensure future generations the right to challenge their government with the truth.

As a part of The Panther Press at Saegertown, I have diligently worked to inform the public of ideas and changes in the community that would have, without a doubt, gone unnoticed by many. At the Panther Press, we understand this and will continue to be the “light” in our community.