BrookSpeak

Mission Statement
Feedback Policy
Advertising Policy
Technical Details
History

As preservers of democracy, our schools shall protect, encourage and enhance free speech and the exchange of ideas as a means of protecting our American way of life.

BrookSpeak is the official student-produced medium of news and information published/produced by Pebblebrook High School students. BrookSpeak has been established as a designated public forum for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may coach and discuss content during the writing process.

Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of the BrookSpeak is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

Electronic media (including online, broadcast and podcast media) produced by BrookSpeak students are entitled to the same protections – and subjected to the same freedoms and responsibilities – as media produced for print publication. As such they will not be subject to prior review or restraint.

Student journalists may use print and electronic media to report news and information, to communicate with other students and individuals, to ask questions of and consult with experts and to gather material to meet their newsgathering and research needs.

BrookSpeak and its staff are protected by and bound to the principles of the First Amendment and other protections and limitations afforded by the Constitution and the various laws and court decisions implementing those principles.

BrookSpeak will not publish any material determined by student editors or the student editorial board to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous, obscene, materially disruptive of the school process, an unwarranted invasion of privacy, a violation of copyright or a promotion of products or services unlawful (illegal) as to minors as defined by state or federal law.

Definitions and examples for the above instances of unprotected speech can be found in Law of the Student Press published by the Student Press Law Center.

The editorial board, which consists of the staff’s student editors, will determine the content, including all unsigned editorials. The views stated in editorials represent that of a majority of the editorial board. Signed columns or reviews represent only the opinion of the author.

The staff of the BrookSpeak will strive to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate and ethical manner, according to the Canons of Professional Journalism developed by the Society for Professional Journalists. The Canons of Professional Journalism include a code of ethics concerning accuracy, responsibility, integrity, conflict of interest, impartiality, fair play, freedom of the press, independence, sensationalism, personal privacy, obstruction of justice, creditability and advertising.

Although the adviser of BrookSpeak has the authority to review the student medium prior to publication, the adviser does not act as a censor or determine the content of the paper. The adviser will offer advice and instruction, following the Code of Ethics for Advisers established by the Journalism Education Association as well as the Canons of Professional Journalism. School officials shall not fire or otherwise discipline advisers for content in student media that is determined and published by the student staff.

The student editor and staff who want appropriate outside legal advice regarding proposed content – should seek attorneys knowledgeable in media law such as those of the Student Press Law Center. Final content decisions and responsibility shall remain with the student editorial board.

BrookSpeak will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy.

The BrookSpeak editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertising policy.

The BrookSpeak editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject the publication of any feedback in accordance with its feedback policy.

Electronic manipulations changing the essential truth of the photo or illustration will be clearly labeled if used.

The duly appointed editor or co-editors shall interpret and enforce this editorial policy.

BrookSpeak is an open forum for student and other public expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its audience.

Therefore it welcomes feedback, including letters to the editor, guest columns, comments on individual articles and other expressions of opinion from students, faculty, administrators, community residents and the general public.

If you have feedback about a particular story you would like to submit, the BrookSpeak staff strongly encourages you to use the comments forum located at the bottom of an article's page. Although all comments are moderated, submission through the comments forum is the quickest way to have acceptable feedback published. Staff members will attempt to post acceptable material in a timely manner; however, school schedules and other factors may delay postings.

BrookSpeak reserves the right to edit or refuse any letter, comment or guest commentary. Justification for editing or refusal of publication may include, but is not limited to, space, clarity, libel, violation of copyright law, profanity, obscenity or any content that could incite a riot. The publication of a letter, comment or commentary shall not be construed as an endorsement by the newspaper.

The BrookSpeak staff reserves the right to track IP addresses of people posting comments.

The BrookSpeak staff reserves the right to change this policy, its impact on all entries in our database, and treatment of any individual piece of feedback without notice.

BrookSpeak will consider publishing advertisements with signed contracts providing they do not advocate illegal activity for minors or are deemed by the editorial board as racist, sexist, and/or otherwise in poor taste or inappropriate for the BrookSpeak audience. Given the website’s limited space for advertising, the editorial board reserves the right to be extremely selective in granting contracts.

Please contact us for more information.

The BrookSpeak website is located at:
http://www.pebblebrookpress.com/brookspeak/

Content management on the website is powered by the Movable Type Publishing Platform, Version 4.01.

Web hosting is provided by ICDSoft Ltd.

The student publication BrookSpeak was created at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year as the product of the newspaper journalism course at Pebblebrook High School. The publication initially existed as a traditional print newspaper. At the end of the 2004-2005 school year, in a controversial decision, the administration of Pebblebrook High School removed all journalism classes from the 2005-2006 course offering. Additional information concerning this decision can be found at the underground student publication website Speaking Underground. In the fall of the 2005-2006 school year student editors choose to continue publication of BrookSpeak despite the lack of a formal journalism class. The decision was made to change to an online only format. BrookSpeak has existed in its current online form since the fall of the 2005-2006 school year.

2004-2005 Print Newspaper PDF Files
Vol. 1, Is. 1 - December 2004
Vol. 1, Is. 2 - March 2005
Vol. 1, Is. 3 - May 2005