To mark today’s Student Press Freedom Day, Head of School Judy Guild signed off on an Affirmation Statement, granting The Gator greater student press freedom.

The Private School Journalism Association (PSJA) Model Affirmation supports private and independent schools with similar protections to that of the New Voices, a non-partisan grassroots movement of state-based activists that aim to protect student press freedom.

New Voices laws are state-level efforts to blunt the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1988 decision in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, which granted public school administrators broad authority to censor school-sponsored student media for “legitimate pedagogical” reasons.

The measures aim to strengthen First Amendment protections for student journalists. Massachusetts adopted a New Voices–style student press freedom law in 1988, making it one of the early states to safeguard student expression in public schools.

However, these protections do not extend to private schools. Although Massachusetts is one of 18 states with student free expression laws, those statutes apply only to public institutions. This gap prompted PSJA to produce the Affirmation Statement.

The Gator is thrilled to announce the School as one of the first schools in the country to sign the Statement, and the very first in New England.

The statement, barring few exceptions to libel, slander, invasion of privacy, and any category of speech not under protection by the First Amendment, protects student journalists and advisers from disciplinary action due to what they publish and prohibits unreasonable censorship.

The statement affirms the following:

As part of our dedication to the highest quality education that promotes student welfare and lives of service and engagement, Brimmer and May School affirms the right of freedom of expression for this academic community. We recognize the following:

1. Private and independent schools are not bound by the same constitutional concerns as public schools, but our shared purpose of education suggests that a similar approach to student freedoms is both reasonable and wise;
2. Freedom of expression is a fundamental principle in a democratic society granted by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution [and appropriate state constitutional citation];
3. Freedom of student expression has been recognized as vital by 18 states, as evidenced by their adoption of “New Voices” laws designed to protect public school student press;
4. Participation and engagement with a robust and free student press promote a range of academic and civic benefits that are both immediate and long-term;
5. Teachers who defend their students’ freedom of expression uphold the tradition of preparing students for civic life but may do so at potential professional and personal risk.

In honor of Student Press Freedom Day, The Gator wishes to encourage independent schools to advocate for their own press freedom rights. Resources are available via the Private School Journalism Association and the Student Press Law Center.

“At virtually all private schools, student journalism ultimately exists at the discretion of the head of school,” said David Cutler, who advises The Gator and is also the founding director of PSJA. “Mrs. Guild not only permits student journalism here but actively champions it. That level of support is incredibly rare at private schools of any type, and it speaks volumes. It shows that she and the School don’t just promote themselves as student-centered; they truly live out that commitment.”

The Gator is grateful to work with an administration that advocates for student press freedom. We sincerely hope that this Affirmation Statement will inspire other independent schools to follow suit.

Editor’s Note: For questions about how to incorporate an Affirmation Statement in their policies, they can reach out to Adviser and Director of the Private School Journalism Association David Cutler ([email protected]) or Editor-in-Chief Rachael Rosenberg ([email protected]).