Facts of the case
Over four years, Helaman Hansen ran a phony “adult adoption” program giving undocumented immigrants the false impression that he could help them become United States citizens. In a 2017 trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, the jury convicted him of fraud and encouraging illegal immigration, violating 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv). Hansen argued to the Ninth Circuit that the statute was too broad and violated his First Amendment rights, and the Court of Appeals ruled in his favor. After the court denied a rehearing, the government petitioned to the Supreme Court.

Question for the Court
This case asks the court to determine whether a statute criminalizing “encouraging” or “inducing” an undocumented immigrant to unlawfully reside in the United States (8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)) is unconstitutionally overbroad and violates the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech.

Decision
In a 7-2 opinion, authored by Justice Barrett, the Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration and upheld Hansen’s conviction, ruling that the statute does not unconstitutionally infringe upon free speech rights. Justice Jackson filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Sotomayor joined.

Free press implications
The Court acknowledged that if read literally, the statute would raise concerns for free speech. Thus, they ruled that the statute extends “no further than the purposeful solicitation and facilitation of specific acts known to violate federal law.” However, the ruling leaves journalists with some uncertainty as to what they can say when reporting on the issue of illegal immigration, and the mere prospect of arrest or prosecution could chill free speech. As Jackson and Sotomayor pointed out in their dissent, the court’s ruling “leaves many things about future potential prosecutions up in the air.” The government has already read the statute broadly in the past to defend the surveillance of journalists reporting on immigration, including a secret database of activists and reporters discovered in 2019.

For further reading, please visit

• SCOTUSblog: United States v. Hansen
• RCFP: United States v. Hansen
• Courthouse News Service: Press rights in crosshairs as justices tackle those who aid illegal immigration
• Courthouse News Service: Supreme Court endorses criminalization of speech linked to illegal immigration

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Below is a quick-reference list of News/Media Alliance member products and programs, what they do and how to access them. Download a PDF of the Alliance Member Product and Program Overview one-pager here.

Newsmediaalliance.org and Alliance Social Media Channels

The Alliance website is a comprehensive repository of industry trends, data, and research that highlights news media strengths and positioning. Members have exclusive access to advertising support materials; reports and case studies on innovative strategies and success stories; thought leader webinars and other member-only events.

We also communicate timely industry news and updates, as well as information about new products and upcoming events and webinars, daily via our social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

Public Policy

The News/Media Alliance diligently advocates on the pressing issues affecting today’s news media organizations, including monetization by the tech platforms, technology policy and advancements, postal rates, journalist protection and free press issues, and other important issues that matter most to you. As the media landscape becomes increasingly digital, it is critical that publishers find ways to monetize digital content and be fairly compensated for use of their digital content, including in search engines and for advertising sold against that content. The Alliance strongly supports legislation that would allow news publishers to collectively negotiate with the platforms for this purpose.

JCPA Resource Center: Your place for resources and the latest information on our efforts to pass the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) (H.R. 1735 and S. 673), a bipartisan bill that would allow news publishers to collectively negotiate with the tech platforms for fair compensation for use of their content. Resources found here include fact sheets, talking points, grassroots campaigns, our Change.org petition, our Google copyright White Paper, press releases and statements, lists of key supporters, news articles and editorials, survey research, print and digital ads, videos, and more. Visit www.JCPABill.com.

Policy Updates: A rolling update of the latest news and developments on the issues listed above that the Alliance is tracking and is engaged in activities on behalf of our members. Bookmark this page and check back regularly.

Platform News You Can Use: The News/Media Alliance sends regular updates to members on the latest developments with the major tech platforms on their work with news publishers and initiatives undertaken to highlight local news and quality journalism. You’ll find news on all the platforms and their new and ongoing projects in the Platform News You Can Use newsletter. Access the issue archive and subscribe here.

Postal Resources and Events: Through a partnership with the National Newspaper Association Foundation (NNAF), News/Media Alliance members enjoy free access to an online portal containing exclusive postal-related resources, events and materials. Materials found on the site include regular articles and updates on relevant postal issues and related regulatory affairs; postal education and training via the Max Heath Postal Institute TM; a Postal Hotline that provides consulting services; free registration to postal webinars and events; and more. Click here to access postal updates and to set up a login to the postal portal.

Podcast Series

News Take: Candid Conversations with Industry Leaders – News Take is a series of podcast interviews with news and magazine professionals. Established leaders in the news media industry join News/Media Alliance Vice President, Research & Insights Rebecca Frank to offer their perspectives and insights on how news organizations are applying the latest industry trends.

Newsletters

Weekly Email Alerts: Get an alert when we publish new content! Simply sign up for the topic(s) that most interest you, such as Public Policy, Digital and the Blog, and we’ll send you an email alert when we publish new content on that topic. Sign up here.

Newsletters and Issue Alerts: We keep members informed on the latest news and innovative insights from and for the industry through our e-newsletters and alerts. Click below to opt in to receive updates on the topics that interest you.

Expanding the View: In this monthly newsletter, the Alliance shares stories about innovations and ideas from the last month that offer potential opportunities for publishers. Things like Web3, digital business models, and other tech topics with implications for the news industry will be covered. Click here to access the latest issue and subscribe to receive Expanding the View in your inbox.

Webinars and Events

Webinars: The Alliance offers regular educational webinars featuring in-house and external industry experts sharing tips and success stories for generating revenue, growing audience, and navigating relevant policy issues. Past webinars are archived and available to members on our website.

Mega-Conference: The News/Media Alliance is pleased to once again support the News Industry
Mega-Conference, an event where news publishers can come together to hear and share new trends and ideas, strategies and tactics for sustaining our industry and local journalism. To learn more about
Mega-Conference, click here.

Speaking Engagements: News/Media Alliance leadership frequently speak at well-respected and widely attended third-party industry and key vertical conferences. Upcoming events featuring our executives are listed here.

Member Tools & Programs

careerXchange gains you access to the industry’s top talent. Post news media industry job openings, search the listings and peruse resumes of potential candidates. Unlike the commercial job boards, our site is owned by the News/Media Alliance and was developed with industry employers in mind. Visit http://careerxchange.newsmediaalliance.org/ – member login required.

Hertz Member Discount: News/Media Alliance members can save up to 20% when they use the discount code CDP# 6308 for their Hertz car rental reservation. Members can also enjoy a first year, fee-waived membership to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®.

Please contact membership@newsmediaalliance.org if you have any questions about Alliance member programs.

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On July 14, the House voted in favor of an amendment protecting journalists’ operations in Russia. The recent 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) incorporated the Federal Contracting for Peace and Security Act, which ensures that American taxpayers don’t support Russia’s war against Ukraine. That legislation would “prohibit the federal government from entering or renewing contracts with companies that continue to do business in Russia during its war of aggression against Ukraine.” Without exemption, it would have the unintended consequences of negatively impacting journalists operating in Russia. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) proposed an amendment that would ensure journalists are exempted from the new restrictions, which the House approved by a vote of 330-99. The Alliance applauds Rep. Maloney for protecting journalists who put themselves at risk to deliver quality news, often in dangerous and hostile situations. The Alliance will continue working to protect and preserve the free press both in the US and abroad.

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On this page you will find various programs and opportunities that may be of interest that are being led by fellow news industry groups, coalitions, state press associations, etc.

Note: We are providing this information for sharing purposes only and not as an endorsement.

May 26, 2022

Kid Scoop News Helps Kids Learn News Literacy

To read, kids need topics they’re interested in presented in a way that entices them to read. Sadly, local school budgets are strapped and unable to provide students with the supplementary reading materials to foster more reading for fun–an activity critical to reading achievement. That’s where Kid Scoop News, a nonprofit to get kids reading more, comes in. Each month Kid Scoop distributes a reader, called Kid Scoop News, to select classrooms. Each issue ‘wraps’ favorite topics like sports, pets and science in activities such as word searches, drawing and puzzles kids really love. Unlike digital devices, with Kid Scoop News, students get their own personal copy to hold and read, write in, cut up and take home. Sometimes it’s the only reading material they have. Kid Scoop News is free to deserving kids because it’s paid for by sponsors.

The Nebraska Press Association, in cooperation with the local newspapers, helps to get Kid Scoop News Nebraska distributed to 10,000 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students each month in public and private schools in Northeast and North Central Nebraska. Editor & Publisher recently wrote about the program.

To learn more about sponsoring a classroom or school in your area, click here.

August 25, 2021

Community News Fund Initiative

Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association (WNA) Foundation will soon relaunch its Community News Fund initiative, which provides local newspapers with the ability to easily fundraise and accept tax-deductible donations. Available to any newspaper association interested in participating, this is a “white label” offering whereby each association can “brand” the initiative as its own with the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation acting as the fiscal sponsor for your members. The WNA Foundation will provide any newspaper association interested in offering the Community Newspaper Fund to its members a library of marketing materials that can be used to help newspapers run their campaigns and ensure the most success possible. In addition, a roadmap with step-by-step suggestions for how newspapers can implement each phase of their campaign will be provided. For more information, email Beth Bennett at beth.bennett@wnanews.com.

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On December 22, the Alliance signed on to a letter by the Reporters Committee to the congressional committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol. That congressional committee recently issued a subpoena to photojournalist Amy Harris. The subpoena requests data on calls and texts that she made during a three-month period from her cell phone provider. The letter stresses the dangers of forcing disclosure of a journalists’ cell phone records, particularly as it could reveal confidential sources. The letter also highlights the DOJ’s own policy against sizing journalists’ records and the troubling precedent this subpoena would set. Read more here.

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The Alliance produces several newsletters and alerts for members that you can subscribe to so that you don’t miss important updates on key news industry topics.

Subscribe now

To subscribe, click here to login, then click E-Mail Preferences at the top of your My Alliance profile. Check the boxes next to the newsletters and alerts you would like to receive. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Don’t have a My Alliance account? Alliance members can email membership@newsmediaalliance.org to be added, or if you are experiencing problems logging into your account, you can request to have your login information sent to you.

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News Media Alliance Illustration: Photo via Fredex8 / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Overview

Election news coverage is often considered horse-race coverage, but this election, news outlets across the country have focused on something far more impactful in 2020 — how Americans are being affected by changes to voting procedure amidst the ongoing public health crisis, as well as what voters need to know to ensure that their votes count. From local outlets focused on their regions’ residents to national outlets giving voice to concerns of disabled voters, publishers have turned their attention to helping ensure a deeper understanding of the election process and Americans’ civic responsibility. Americans need this kind of critical reporting ahead of the U.S. Presidential election, as well as future elections, and local news media have a unique ability to provide it.

In this special section of the Index of Impactful News, we provide several examples of impactful election news stories that would not have been possible without the work of local news publishers.

Impactful Election Stories

Alaska Public Media, “By mail, early, in person: Here’s a guide to voting in Alaska” – “Early voting started Monday in Alaska for the general election, and more than 35,000 Alaskans have already returned their absentee ballots. For those who haven’t cast their ballots yet, here’s a quick guide on how to vote this year.”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Election 2020: Georgia voter guide” – “Much is at stake, with polls showing close races for president, two U.S. Senate seats and a few U.S. House seats. A number of state legislative races are considered competitive. And then there’s the Covid-19 pandemic, which is changing how Georgians are choosing to vote, and court battles that are already being fought over voting issues and ballot access.”

Austin Monthly, “Tired of Our Broken Democracy? The Texas 2020 Voter Guide is For You.” – “Instead of focusing on hotly debated partisan issues, it addresses 10 core problems that are deteriorating our political system—and where local politicians stand on each.”

Avant-Youth, “Election debacles: A closer look at Georgia’s voting system” – “The first step in finding a solution to our election problems is understanding the voting process, at least this way we can understand who’s responsible for what. Georgia’s voting laws can be really difficult to understand, mostly due to its nebulous systems and obscure rules as to who or what is in charge of anything.”

Bangor Daily News, “Everything Mainers need to know to vote in the 2020 election” – “We’ve been asking you all year about the subjects you care about. We used those responses to ask pointed questions of the candidates. The result is this voter guide, which distills the positions of top-tier candidates while putting questions to every candidate for Maine’s 186 state legislative seats.”

The Beacon, “Young Kansans could prove to be a powerful voting bloc on Election Day” – “Kansas’ electoral landscape looks a lot different than it did four years ago, especially for the state’s youngest eligible voters, according to a Beacon analysis of the most recent voter registration data from the Kansas Secretary of State’s office.”

Charlottesville Tomorrow, “How to “cure” and avoid ballot mistakes” – “With a higher volume of mail-in votes occurring this year, some worry that the margins for error in the hands of registrars and voters is higher. Meanwhile, new state law passed during Virginia’s special session aims to make it easier for voters to vote — however they choose — and to fix errors that arise.”

Civil Eats, “Fighting Voter Suppression, Environmental Racism, and Corporate Agriculture in Hog Country” – “In an election like none before it, the residents of North Carolina—particularly the hog- and poultry-intensive eastern counties—are fighting long odds to regain the power of their vote.”

CNN, “How to help people with learning disabilities cast their votes” – “There are a lot of Americans who find the act of voting difficult because of learning disabilities and their obstacles are getting new attention as awareness of these disabilities increases.”

Colorado Public News, “The Colorado Voter’s Guide To The 2020 Election” – “We hope this comprehensive and convenient non-partisan guide will help voters across the state make sense of a lengthy ballot in a crucial election. Curious how we put this guide together? Take a look at this quick explanation. Looking for more in-depth information on what’s up for the vote in Denver? Fear not, Denverite has you covered.”

The Colorado Sun, “Colorado money tracker: A look at the candidates and campaigns spending to influence the 2020 vote” – “The majority of the money spent in a political campaign is aimed at persuading voters to pick a certain candidate and turnout to vote. The tools of the trade are familiar: television commercials, glossy mailers, yard signs, flashy digital ads, text messages, phone calls and more.”

The Denver Post, “Colorado’s vote-by-mail ballots begin life in Washington State and end in storage. Here’s what happens in between.” – “Colorado’s mail-in voting system is as safe as it gets, local and national experts, election judges, Republicans and Democrats agree — despite efforts by President Donald Trump and others to question the security of voting by mail.”

Detroit Free Press, “Heads up, Michigan. Here’s what disinformation experts are watching for on Election Day” – “Given attempts to mislead or deter voters ahead of the election and the possibility that no presidential race winner will be declared on Election Day, researchers and experts on disinformation advise Michiganders to be extra careful about where their information comes from in the next few weeks.”

Detroit Free Press, “Michigan prepares for possible legal challenges on and after Election Day” – “While it’s rare for legal action to decide the ultimate outcome, election-related lawsuits are not new in Michigan. And the impact of the delay in final results from an unprecedented number of absentee ballots, COVID-19 complications and misinformation about the veracity of the election from President Donald Trump make it clear voters should not be surprised to see some litigation after polls close on Nov. 3.”

The Gazette, “Voter guide: What you need to know about early voting, voting by mail and Election Day voting” – “Early voting in Iowa for the Nov. 3, 2020, election begins Oct. 5 and ends Nov. 2. Here’s what you need to know and where you can go to find information about voting and the candidates on the ballot.”

Gothamist, “2020 Voter Guide For New York And New Jersey” – “Are you ready for the most consequential general election of our lifetimes—which also happens to be occurring during a global pandemic? If you need to brush up on some details our new, comprehensive 2020 Voter Guide for New York and New Jersey, from WNYC/Gothamist, City Limits, and Gotham Gazette.”

The Hastings Banner, “The difference between absentee and vote-by-mail” – “This year, more Americans than ever will be voting absentee or by mail so it is important to understand the similarities and differences between the two. While vote-by-mail and vote absentee are often used interchangeably, there actually is a difference between the two systems.”

Indiana Daily Student, “How to Vote” – “Voting is confusing. If you’re a college student or Monroe County resident, this quiz will help you register and plan how you’ll submit your ballot for the November election.”

Isthmus Community Media, “College students fill gaps in Wisconsin’s poll worker shortage” – “Currently, there is a nationwide shortage of poll workers. Older and retired volunteers typically staff poll stations around the country but many this year are not working due to concerns around COVID-19.”

KALW, “Reaching Communities With Low Voter Turnout” – “As Election Day approaches, we’re focusing on communities with historically low voter turnout in five Bay Area counties. These 5 areas include West Oakland in Alameda County, Richmond’s Iron Triangle in Contra Costa County, Bayview-Hunter’s Point in San Francisco, East Palo Alto in San Mateo County, and Fairfield in Solano County.”

The Kansas City Star, “Want to make sure your mail ballot is counted in KS or MO? Here’s what you need to know” – “For anyone casting a mail ballot for the first time in 2020, here’s what you need to know to make sure your vote gets counted.”

KCAW, “2020 Election Hub” – “On Tuesday, November 3, Alaskans will cast their ballots in the 2020 General Election. To help voters make informed decisions, Raven Radio has expanded our election hub this year to provide election coverage beyond Sitka’s municipal election, to include information on regional races and elections in our listening communities.”

KQED, “11 Million Households, 10 Languages — That’s Right, It’s The Official Calif. Voter Guide” – “‘Who gets to write the arguments for and against the ballot measures in the state’s official voter information guide?’ Nichols asked. ‘How are they picked? And why does Gary Wesley write so many of them?'”

LevittownNow.com, “GENERAL ELECTION 2020: How To Vote” – “Thanks, in part, to a grant from the American Press Institute and the LevittownNow.com team, we’ve been able to create this everything-you-need-to-know guide for voting either in-person or by mail.”

Long Beach Post, “Long Beach Voter Guide: Debate roundups, local measures and vote center locations” – “Over the past several weeks we’ve written about where and how voters can cast their ballots, what is at stake with the local Measure US and the multiple candidates running for office. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know in order to help you make the best decisions.”

The Longmont Leader, “Longmont voter guide: What you need to know for the 2020 election” – “How to cast your ballot, when to vote and everything else you need to know to have your voice heard in November.”

Los Angeles Times, “The Times Publishes Voter Guide and Election Resources as Early Voting Begins” – “The collection includes step-by-step guides, explainer videos, in-depth reporting on candidates and ballot propositions, and more.”

Mahoning Matters, “What you need to know about Ohio drop box restrictions” – “How many drop boxes can each Ohio county set up for collecting absentee ballots cast in the November presidential election, and where can they be located? It’s a seemingly simple question with a complicated answer.”

Malheur Enterprise, “VOTING VITALS: The latest count on ballot returns in Malheur County and key voting information”

The Mercury News, “2020 California Election Guide: What you need to know about mail-in ballots, propositions and more” – “Have you cast your ballot yet? Hundreds of thousands of California voters have already voted. If you’re one of them, or are still looking over your ballot, here’s a collection of stories that will bring you up to date on the voting process and the important issues and races on California’s 2020 ballots.”

Mississippi Free Press, “Bipartisan Bill Would Allow All Mississippians to Vote In-Person Absentee Starting Oct. 5” – “Mississippi voters could have the opportunity to begin voting in person on absentee ballots with no excuse necessary if the Legislature adopts a bill a bipartisan group of three Mississippi House representatives proposed today. Without changes, most Mississippi voters will have to vote in person on Election Day with few exceptions—and without a statewide mask mandate in place as of the governor’s decision yesterday.”

Montgomery Advertiser, “A voter’s guide to the constitutional amendments on Alabama’s 2020 ballot” – “Alabama’s ballot includes six state constitutional amendments, covering voting; the operation of the state judiciary; racist language in the state’s 1901 Constitution, and the use of guns in churches in two counties in north Alabama.”

The Nevada Independent, “In long Nevada early voting lines, enthusiasm and a sense of election’s high stakes” – “Droves of Nevada voters came out to the polls for the first day of in-person early voting in a divisive election that some characterized as one of the most important of their lifetimes.”

New Haven Independent, “Voter Guide: What’s On The Ballot” – “Voting has started earlier than ever for more voters this year — so here’s an early guide to articles about competitive races to help you figure out how to mark your ballot.”

The News & Observer, “Voting problems? The N&O’s partnership with Electionland is tracking and investigating” – “Again this election season, The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun are working with Electionland, a national project to track and investigate voting problems in North Carolina.”

The New York Times, “‘A Failed System’: What It’s Like to Vote With a Disability During a Pandemic” – “An estimated 38 million eligible voters have disabilities. It has always been hard for them to vote, and this year has brought even more obstacles.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Easier? Not for all.” – “Pennsylvania’s vote-by-mail law has expanded access — primarily for middle-class and affluent voters who would likely have voted anyway. A year later, poor Philadelphians are still more likely to vote in person.”

Popsugar, “How Casting Your Ballot in the 2020 Election Could Help End Voter Suppression” – “In 2020, voters face even more hurdles, as politicians and officials who want to suppress the vote exploit barriers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, overcoming these hurdles to cast your ballot could not only affect the outcome of the election, but also help shape policies that safeguard the right to vote in the future. Here’s what experts want you to know.”

QCity Metro, “Inside the work to educate thousands of formerly incarcerated NC residents about their voting rights” – “Groups are reaching out to prospective Mecklenburg County voters, including people whose voting rights have been restored following a recent court ruling.”

San Francisco Chronicle, “2020 Voter Guide” – “Your guide to the ballot measures, propositions and races that Bay Area voters are deciding.”

Scalawag, “How photo ID laws and provisional ballots target the most marginalized Southerners” – “Tennessee is one of seven states with strict photo voter ID laws—along with Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia in the South—meaning anyone who votes without an ID that “matches” their physical presentation according to poll workers is issued a provisional ballot. Those provisional ballots only count if the voter provides their ID shortly after.”

The Seattle Times, “Election 2020 voter guide: What you need to know for your ballot due Nov. 3” – “In Washington, the election is mail-only, though counties provide accessible voting centers for people who need assistance completing their ballots.”

South Florida Sun Sentinel, “Voter Guide: South Florida 2020 General Election” – “The South Florida Sun Sentinel surveyed candidates running in this year’s general election and is presenting their responses below as submitted. Not all candidates responded to the questionnaire. Unopposed and write-in candidates are not included.”

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Show Me the Money” – “Explore campaign contributions to Missouri’s state and congressional politicians.”

St. Louis Public Radio, “St. Louis Voter Guide: What To Know About The Key Contests On Your 2020 Ballot” – “Nov. 3 will be unlike any other Election Day. New rules for mail-in and absentee voting have granted voters more ways than ever to cast a ballot — and raised concerns about election integrity and legal challenges to the vote-by-mail policies. Officials predict an unprecedented turnout in Missouri, which as of Oct. 2 has added more than 130,000 registered voters to the rolls since 2016.”

Tampa Bay Times, “So you want to vote by mail in Florida? Here’s what you need to know.” – “Some elections officials say some of the political rhetoric has caused confusion about Florida’s longstanding mail voting system.”

Tucson Sentinel, “Friday last day to request vote-by-mail ballot in Arizona” – “Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs told voters to request their ballot-by-mail to get a general election ballot sent to their home. Early voting in person remains available through Election Day, Nov. 3. About 1.3 million people have already cast their ballots in the state.”

Uvalde Leader-News, “Nearly 25% of voters have voted” – “With about a week and a half remaining to vote early before the Oct. 30 deadline, approximately 23.65 percent of Uvalde County’s 17,430 registered voters have already cast their vote for the Nov. 3 general election. Tomorrow is the last day to request a ballot by mail.”

Washington City Paper, “D.C. At-Large Councilmember Voters Guide 2020” – “We asked 22 candidates the same questions about prominent issues in D.C., including housing, education, and policing, among others.”

The Washington Post, “America in Line” – “Long before Election Day, voters across the country have been lining up to cast their ballots. We sent teams of reporters and photographers to six cities — Houston, Albuquerque, Chattanooga, Sarasota, Atlanta and Columbus — to capture how people feel as they wait for their chance to be heard.”

WBUR, “Election 2020’s Voter Suppression Reality” – “Voting is one of the most essential rights of any democratic citizen. We take a look at the various forms of voter suppression we see across the country, and discuss how it’s affecting American democracy ahead of the November presidential election.”

WDET, “Everything You Need to Know to Vote in 2020” – “Find the key information and deadlines you need to know for registering to vote, requesting and returning your absentee ballot, or voting in person.”

WFAE, “2020 N.C. Voters Guide” – “Learn everything you need to know about voting in the upcoming election, including how to vote in person or through the mail as well as local candidates’ positions on various issues and why they think you should vote for them.”

WTOP, “Advocates encourage people with learning disabilities to make plan to vote” – “People with learning disabilities face stigma, low expectations and lack of understanding, but advocates stress that they still have a right to vote.”

If you would like to submit a story for inclusion in our Impactful Election Stories, or the Index of Impactful News, click here.

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Free Speech Week honors one of the most important freedoms in the First Amendment, but there are some limitations to what speech is protected, especially for students. I learned this in 2018, when I had the opportunity to attend a reenactment of the historic Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines. Hearing that there was a legal precedent for student protest inspired me to want to better advocate for myself and my fellow students — but it soon became clear that the freedoms available to me were actually pretty minimal.  

As the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) writes in their summary of the case, “[T]here are still limits on what students can do in public schools.” While they can protest, as Mary Beth Tinker did by wearing an armband, any protest that violates an attendance policy or otherwise disrupts the learning environment is not protected under the ruling. The ACLU also notes that since the use of social media as a form of protest has spiked in the last few years, “some schools have attempted to extend their power to punish students for speaking off-campus and outside school hours.” The ACLU has denounced and challenged such measures, but courts nationwide are not unified on whether or not this action is constitutional. 

If you find yourself asking, “Why would students need to protest in school?”, the answer is incredibly simple: for the betterment of their educational environments. For example, 2018 saw widespread student protests following the shooting at Parkland, Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. In order to get more attention from the government, students nationwide walked out of class and gathered in large groups to advocate for stricter gun control laws. 

But instead of supporting the students’ right to free speech, many schools simply marked the children with an unexcused absence unless they had a note from a parent, essentially ignoring the students’ pleas. This put pressure on students who could not miss school or schoolwork for whatever reason and decreased the number of students who could make their voices heard. 

During the coronavirus pandemic, some students have faced disciplinary action from their schools for sharing their experiences with reopening. Multiple students at North Paulding High School in Georgia say that they were suspended for sharing photos of the crowded hallway at their school where multiple students were not wearing masks.  The Student Press Law Center has condemned NPHS’s actions in a letter, citing Tinker v. Des Moines and noting that the school cannot punish students for actions taken on social media after hours. 

 On October 20, students at the Ovid-Elsie High School in Michigan held a protest calling for a better system for online learning to be put in place, as they believe the one currently in effect is causing a large number of students to fall behind. This protest was scheduled to take place from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., meaning that participants likely missed a day of school and therefore violated the attendance policy, an action that is not protected by the Tinker v. Des Moines decision. 

Further, on Tuesday, October 13, students at Paso Robles (California) High School held a protest in the parking lot of the school during school hours to go back to in-person learning. Students socially distanced and participated in classes via Zoom while supervised by a school official. Though this protest was not in violation of any school policies, it certainly caught the school’s attention.

These instances of student advocacy activity, however, are not limited to walking out of class and protesting. In fact, the students at my own school, the School Without Walls High School in Washington, D.C., are in the middle of our own coordinated response to the recent actions of our school district.

On October 7, our principal, Richard Trogisch, was abruptly fired. D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) informed the parents and students of this change via an email but provided no reason as to why he was let go. 

This action caused an immediate uproar amongst the students, who took to social media in Trogisch’s defense. I, personally, gathered all of the information I could about the situation and created a “carrd” with all of the links for students to reference. I have also helped create a Student Advocacy Server on Discord, a platform that allows users to create online spaces to chat over text or the phone with their friends. This platform allows students to organize and stay up-to-date on the situation, as well as form a unified response on this issue and any others that may come up in the future. A petition has also been circulated calling for Trogisch’s reinstatement. 

In addition to organizing online, students at my school have attended protests, one of which was organized by a member of our own student government. The others have been organized by parents and teachers but have featured attendance and speakers from the student body. 

So why do students protest? The same reason anyone else would: for our rights. Every child in this country has a right to an education as well as a right to make sure that they are getting the best education possible. When a school system takes actions that disturb that education, the community has every right to be enraged and advocate for its repair. If necessary, this may mean taking actions that would violate the remaining restrictions on student free speech that Tinker v. Des Moines outlined, such as in the case of the walk-outs for gun control in 2018. Actions like these force the school systems and their administrations to pay attention and listen to the demands of their students. Why, then, are they not allowed? Why must students be forced to protest their schools only in a way that the school sees fit? 

In order to ensure that student voices are heard, schools should not limit the freedoms of speech that are given to citizens outside of the schoolyard. An education is a human right, and therefore the ability to advocate for it should not be hindered by an organization that wants to make decisions for its own benefit, not the benefit of the students.

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