New York New Voices Lobby Day
February 28
Dozens of student journalists from across New York state will gather in Albany to advocate for passage of the Student Journalist Free Speech Act. In addition to holding meetings with legislators, students will also be holding a press conference for New York media.
Student Press Briefing: Impacts of School Surveillance
Brought to you by Center for Democracy & Technology
March 1 @ 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
College and high school student journalists are invited to join the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) for a briefing on potential stories on school surveillance, student privacy, and free expression on- and off-campus. Participants will hear from CDT experts working on student surveillance and free expression, and have the chance to ask them questions. We will also have an open discussion about how participants have seen surveillance tools used in schools, and the impacts on students. Login info will be sent to registered attendees in advance of the event.
Host Your Own Event!
In addition to joining events and workshops hosted by SPLC and partners, consider creating your own event! Check out this helpful guide to get started:
Recorded Events:
Twitter Space:Students Defending Democracy in Thailand & US #StudentPressFreedomDay
Brought to you by Human Rights Watch and SPLC
February 23 @ 9:30 a.m. ET
Join us on Student Press Freedom Day to discuss how students in Thailand and the United States are on the frontlines of defending democracy.
Uncovering Your School District’s Student Media Policies (and Making them Better)
Advocating for student press freedom can start in your own backyard. One of the most effective ways to protect your rights is to improve your school district’s student media policy, and it’s simpler than you’d think! Watch this 45 minute webinar to learn how.
Op-Ed Boot Camp
A fan-favorite annual event, the Op-Ed Boot Camp is the perfect opportunity for student journalists to take your op-ed writing and pitching skills to the next level! You’ll learn from Steve Holmes (of the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN) and get tips from fellow students who have successfully placed op-eds in major media outlets.
Student Press Freedom 101
How much do you know about student press freedom? Come learn from the experts about the court cases, advocacy and history that led us to our current climate.
Other Past Events:
Bravely Advocate this Student Press Freedom Day!
February 23 @ 1pm ET and 7:30 pm ET
Join your peers, SPLC staff and special guests Mary Beth Tinker (Tinker v. Des Moines) and Cathy Kuhlmeier (Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier) this Student Press Freedom Day to take action for student press freedom! If you’re new to advocacy, this is a great chance to get involved in a supportive, safe space. Join for a few minutes or stay the full hour – we’re even offering two time slots for your convenience. Tell your friends and we’ll see you there!
Scholastic Journalism Week
Brought to you by JEA
February 20-24
High school advisers, we hope you’ll participate in Scholastic Journalism Week this year! Each day has a set theme with an associated lesson plan. (Thursday is – of course – Student Press Freedom Day!) Learn more and see the lesson plan for each day:
Student Press Freedom Day FOIA Workshop
Brought to you by Electronic Frontier Foundation
February 23 @ 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT
EFF Investigative Researcher Beryl Lipton—who has filed hundreds of public records requests— will describe how the process works, and guide you through what’s necessary to shine a light on your favorite (or least favorite) public agency. She’ll also offer a template we’ve used recently for sending requests to public schools.
Refusing Censorship: A High School Newspaper’s Fight for Student Press Freedom
Brought to you by PEN America, the First Amendment Coalition, National Association of Hispanic Journalists and SPLC
February 23 @ 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
For this event, we invite students and educators to meet and hear from award-winning journalism adviser Adriana Chavira and her students at The Pearl Post at the Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Los Angeles. Adriana and the students’ story of overcoming censorship and disciplinary retaliation after publishing an article on the school’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate’s effect on teachers can provide other student journalists with key ideas and insight when facing similar challenges.