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it’s the law

Responding to takedown requests

October 15, 2010

My job is to help student journalists. But occasionally people find me who aren’t student journalists, but are having issues…

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The (non-existent) 30-second rule

March 15, 2010

I just returned from a lively convention of a couple thousand high school broadcast journalists, video producers and filmmakers. The…

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Rejecting Ads

December 29, 2009

By Mike Hiestand A quick quiz: You are the editor of your public school’s student newspaper and receive the following…

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Off-campus speech

June 2, 2008

By Mike Hiestand It’s lucky for Americans that Revolutionary War patriot and general rabble-rouser Thomas Paine wasn’t a high school…

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It’s the Law: An open letter of apology…

January 13, 2008

By Mike Hiestand AN OPEN LETTER OF APOLOGY TO HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISTS OF THE LAST TWENTY YEARS I’m sorry if…

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“Bong Hits” and the Court

July 11, 2007

By Mike Hiestand First they went after sex. Now it’s drugs. Student speech about Rock n’ Roll must understandably be…

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How to include Bart in your book

April 30, 2007

By Mike Hiestand Everyone wants Bart. Or SpongeBob. Or one of those Aqua Teen Hunger Force dudes. Each year, student…

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Washington Student Free Press Law FAQ

February 1, 2007

By Mike Hiestand Ever since the Supreme Court’s 1988 decision in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, which significantly increased administrative…

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Plagiarism vs. copyright

December 5, 2006

By Mike Hiestand “Plagiarist!” It is an accusation that strikes fear in the hearts of students, academics, journalists, authors and…

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Student media law Legal Bytes, Part 2

July 3, 2006

By Mike Hiestand Last time I provided the first batch of quick answers to some of the most common questions…

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