This year, Governor Phil Murphy signed a new law that is now being implemented across the state of New Jersey: the New Voices of New Jersey Act, P.L. 2021, Chapter 309. Ensuring student journalists’ freedom of speech, the New Voices of New Jersey Act protects their first amendment rights as correspondents as well as their advisors. Unanimously approved by Congress, New Jersey is the fifteenth state to implement the New Voices law.
This new law is designed to protect students from censorship by school administrators, and prevents advisors from being punished for supporting works created by student journalists. While implementing this law does prohibit administrators from censoring most articles and ideas, there are certain exceptions. It does not protect journalists from censorship if their work has inappropriate uses threatening language, or contains content that could potentially incite violence in the school.
Counteracting the Supreme Court’s 1988 ruling Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeirer, New Voices is now restoring a healthy balance of freedom and respect among students and administrators regarding articles published in school newspapers. Hazelwood vs. Kulmeirer was a Supreme Court ruling that allowed administrators in schools to delete articles and censor student voices. This law suppressed students from sharing their opinions and speaking on important yet controversial topics. New Voices changes this law for New Jersey schools, and has re-established a student journalist’s first amendment freedoms.
Despite the law’s implementation in September of 2022, many schools throughout New Jersey are still not in compliance. According to SPLC’s inspection of 100 schools, more than 50% of New Jersey schools have still not put New Voices into effect. However, Bernards High School is one of the estimated 50% of schools that comply with New Voices and the guidelines that come with it. While already relatively free to write what they please, the Crimson staff now have uncensored freedom to write on topics they feel passionately about.
Spencer Sorge ‘25 shares “it is comforting to know that [she] can express an opinion and not be punished.” Sorge feels “it is a great feeling to know Bernards High stays up to date with state regulations, and has so much trust in student journalism. This law has only further proved that we as a community are maintaining true journalism”.
The New Voices Act has the ability to preserve true and honest journalism in our increasingly digital and busy society. By preserving student journalists’ rights and protecting their freedoms, journalists are able to share truth into various issues.
