IGDB - Policy Relating to Content of Falmouth High School Publications
Falmouth High School sponsors several publications, including the Yearbook and Newspaper. These publications, which might reasonably be perceived to bear the imprimatur of the school, are supervised by faculty members, are reserved for the purpose of providing journalistic and other learning experiences for students, and are not open to indiscriminate use by students. The student activities of which these publications are a part of curriculum-related learning experiences provided by the school. In the event that an article/item submitted for inclusion in such a publication is of questionable value, merit or taste (as determined by the faculty advisor), that item shall be deleted if it;
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is in violation of law; or
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could reasonably be construed to be an invasion of a person's privacy interests or is insufficiently sensitive to a person's privacy interests; or
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could result in financial liability to the school department; or
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might reasonably result in material disruption to or interference with the educational process; or
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might reasonably cause harm or damage to a person or the school; or
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is vulgar or profane; or
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advocates conduct inconsistent with the shared values of a civilized social order; or
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associates the school with any position other than neutrality on matters of political controversy or religious beliefs.
The advisor may delete in advance of publication any article or item meeting any of the above criteria.
Appeals should be directed first to the advisor, and then to the principal and superintendent. The superintendent's decision shall be final.
It is the policy of the Falmouth School Department not to discriminate or impose prior restraints on the basis of the expression of varying viewpoints surrounding items/articles, except to the extent that they meet any of the items (1-8) above.
ADOPTED: November 18, 1991