working to include more students of color on staff . Echo doesn ’ t fully reflect the student body yet , but based on our trajectory of inclusion from the past few years , we should next year .
Through empowering student voices , we can show how these stories matter , and they can be instrumental in changing perception . I ‘ ve seen ignorance fuel hate and prejudice . When we encourage student storytellers , we can provide readers with an insight into what others experience . We continually strive to tell stories .
It is only through highlighting alternative voices that we can make a change . Had someone told us in 1994 we couldn ’ t cover a story about an HIV positive student or the other controversial topics , we would have fought for these important stories to be covered .
I have faith we can make a change . In a year in which the Cubs won the World Series and a rookie won the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 , I believe this is the year of the underdog . We can continue to fight the Hazelwood specter and empower student voices . We can continue to be the Daves and Dans , and maybe even your journalism adviser of years past , of today .
However , this fight is a three-part effort .
First , we need to show the need for these voices . During my time responding to Panic Button issues , I have heard personal stories concerning administration censorship attempts . I ’ ve seen student voices silenced , and I ’ ve seen otherwise positive students become dispirited . However , we ’ ve also seen positive stories about administrators standing with students concerning their ability to endorse candidates and cover other topics of importance to readers . We ’ ve seen at least 10 states actively work to pass New Voices legislation . We must show the need for student voices , and show how student voices have been silenced , in order to help SPLC , SPRC and the states working on free speech legislation build on the recent successes of Illinois , Maryland and North Dakota . For the second part of this effort , I need your help . Candace Bowen , John Bowen and I have reconfigured Jane Blystone ’ s SPRC ’ s Making a Difference campaign . We want to show how important storytelling can be by soliciting contributions to this effort and promoting the monthly content . By showing how your students have made a difference , other teachers can empower their own students by showing these coverage exemplars . If you are on JEA ’ s listserv , we posted to the listserv earlier this morning and have information on SPRC ’ s website outlining how to submit .
The third involves all of us . We must continue to teach administrators and our communities about the First Amendment and its application to students . We must show that by empowering students and advisers , we can have a stronger , more informed democracy . To help , we have , through SPRC , provided some ways to help you broach the subject with administrators . We also sent this link through this morning ’ s message .
We owe it to our students — and readers and communities — to give them the best possible student media opportunities we can . As teachers , we need to have faith in and empower the students in both celebratory and challenging times .
I ’ ve been lucky . In high school and college , both of my advisers supported and empowered us . They were there when we screwed up , and yes , it happened often . As an IDS editor said during the eulogy for Dave Adams , Dave