More than a year after a controversy over The Squall, Dexter High School's student newspaper, prompted the Dexter school district to embark on a review of its policy governing student publications, the school board is still wrestling with the issue.
Board members Monday night discussed what the guidelines should accomplish.
Squall staff member Lisa Crompton urged board members not to make the policy too restrictive. "You should be able to write about controversial subjects," Compton said. "That's what a newspaper does."
Copies of The Squall, Dexter High School's student newspaper.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
In response, an anonymous group of parents launched an Internet blog called Clean Up DHS. The blog also complained about a 2008 issue of The Squall that published a picture from Rolling Stone magazine showing John Lennon and Yoko Ono nude. In addition, the blog complained about stories in the school newspaper about drinking and drug use as well as teenage pregnancy.
"I think there should be guidelines and oversight in our policy about content as well as distribution," said school board member Julie Schumaker. "We have a duty to supervise and protect children."
School board President Larry Cobler questioned how to go about setting general guidelines.
"You can't identify every topic that's going to come up so you have to have a process to make sure guidelines are being followed," he said.
Although the policy will ultimately cover all forms of student media, the high school newspaper took center stage Monday night. Squall staff adviser Rod Satterthwaite and newspaper staff members attended he meeting.
"Every year we look at the editorial policy and what revisions we need to make based on feedback that we've gotten, Satterthwaite said."Students meet with me about the angles to take and sources to use on stories. Many eyes see an article before it's ready to publish."
Satterthwaite cited an example of a controversial article about a pregnant student, who he said gave permission to have her name published.
"The topic isn't the problem," said school board member Dick Lundy. "It's how the kids are treated and how they're protected."
Parent Barbara Read agreed and told the board, "You have a range of students in high school from 13-year-olds to students who are legally adults," she said. "You say a 13-year-old can give legal consent, but do you agree with that? You have the authority to decide what you want."
Other concerns from board members included issues such as who's responsible for interpreting what defines vulgarity and obscenity.
Cobler recommended holding another policy meeting that will allow community members to participate. No date was announced.
Lisa Carolin is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. To reach the news desk, call 734-623-2530 or email news@annarbor.com. For more Dexter stories, visit our Dexter page.
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