Stevenson High administration to end prior review of paper

An administrative committee that has reviewed every issue of the Stevenson High School newspaper before release since February 2009 has been dissolved, officials announced Thursday.

The group — including Principal John Carter and communication arts department head Joseph Flanagan — no longer will screen the Statesman each month.

“The students’ work this year demonstrates a pattern of learning that makes it clear to us that they are committed to working closely with their teacher in a manner that continues to elevate the journalistic integrity of the paper and the program,” Flanagan said in an e-mail.

Officials personally told students about the change Wednesday. A representative of the Statesman staff could not be reached for comment.

The committee was created following the publication of a January 2009 article about teen dating and sex. Previously, the journalism class’ adviser reviewed the Statesman before publication.

At the time, administrators said more review was needed because of continued reporting problems and inadequate balance.

Other controversies followed. Disagreements about student-written articles during the 2009-10 school year led to changes in two issues and the eventual resignation of the bulk of the Statesman staff.

Then-journalism adviser Barbara Thill resigned in 2009, too.

Last year, the school developed new guidelines designed to give the young journalists clear expectations for their work.

In December, administrators and school board members met with the students and new adviser Andrew Bouque about the Statesman. The meeting was productive, officials said, and it helped lead to the decision to break up the oversight panel, Flanagan said.