Answered: Privacy
If you reveal personal information about someone without their consent, you could be violating their privacy.
Can my student newspaper use a student’s name when reporting on sensitive topics, such as abuse or depression?
Can my student newspaper use a student’s name when reporting on sensitive topics, such as abuse or depression?
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Can my student organization broadcast a student’s name and photo in one of our productions without that student’s consent?
Can my student organization broadcast a student’s name and photo in one of our productions without that student’s consent?
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Can I get in trouble for publishing student quotes in an article when the student and student’s parents sign a release form, but then the parents object to the use of the quotes?
Can I get in trouble for publishing student quotes in an article when the student and student’s parents sign a release form, but then the parents object to the use of the quotes?
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Can I publish an article for my school newspaper if a student featured in the article says she doesn’t want to be mentioned?
Can I publish an article for my school newspaper if a student featured in the article says she doesn’t want to be mentioned?
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Does reporting on a student's suicide violate privacy?
A family likely cannot get the principal to remove the story due to the legal reason of invasion of privacy. However, as journalists, ethically, you should consider the feelings of the family in your publication, and treat the issue with respect, focusing on the life of the student, rather than their death.
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Your Guide to FERPA
FERPA is a law designed to protect the privacy of students. While it seems simple, how and when this law applies can be a little complicated.
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Does my article about a special education student violate FERPA?
I teach high school journalism. One of my journalists published a story in the school newspaper about students who serve as mentors to special education students. The article featured a picture of two special education students with quotes about the program and a headline that used the word “disability.” A parent complained about the article, saying it was stigmatizing. Did my journalism student violate FERPA when he published the article with that headline?
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