Watchdog journalism is key to upholding a free and open civil society and robust democracy. Student journalists do this important work on the local level — upholding accountability and transparency within their schools and communities. As local media shrinks, students are often the only ones covering school boards, local government meetings and other key decision makers in the community.
So when officials – school officials or otherwise – create roadblocks to public information and use censorship, prior review and other intimidation tactics against students seeking important information, they not only suppress important stories and create a culture of silence among student journalists, they are doing a public disservice and challenging a crucial component in maintaining democratic values.
