Community Social Media Guidelines
As a journalism program, we value the free speech that one is entitled to. However, there can be consequences to unthoughtful speech. There is a difference between voicing an opinion and being unkind, having an opinion and being hateful, respected debate and keyboard courage.
Before anything, we are a scholastic journalism program. And due to the growth of The Fuel, The Rocket, and Judson Journalism, it is important that the department creates community social media guidelines in order to ensure community decorum and the online safety of students.
Guidelines and Expectations:
Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people.
Terrorism: You may not threaten or promote terrorism or violent extremism.
Abuse: You may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so. This includes wishing or hoping that someone experiences physical harm
Hate: You may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.
Harm: You may not promote or encourage self-harm.
Law: You may not use our platform for any unlawful purpose or in furtherance of illegal activities. This includes selling, buying, or facilitating transactions in illegal goods or services, as well as certain types of regulated goods or services.
Privacy: You may not publish or post other people’s private information (such as home phone number and address). We also prohibit threatening to expose private information or incentivizing others to do so.
Impersonation: You may not impersonate individuals, groups, or organizations in a manner that is intended to or does mislead, confuse, or deceive others.
Manipulated Media: You may not deceptively share synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm.
Copyright: You may not violate others’ intellectual property rights, including copyright and trademark.
Violations of our community social media guidelines may result in being blocked on The Fuel’s social media platforms in order to ensure community decorum and the online safety of students.
In Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988), the Supreme Court held that schools may restrict what is published in student newspapers if the papers have not been established as public forums. The Court also decided that the schools may limit the First Amendment rights of students if the student speech is inconsistent with the schools’ basic educational mission.
During the 85th Texas Legislature, SB 79 – “David’s Law” was passed and signed into law effective September 1, 2017. The law relates to harassment, bullying and cyberbullying of a public school student, a charter school student or a minor and encouraging certain mental health programs for public school students; increasing a criminal penalty, and providing a civil remedy.
Click here to access the Judson ISD Student Code of Conduct. If you have any questions, contact Mr. Cabrera, Adviser of Student Media, at [email protected].