The Grantonian and Grantonian Online intend to be public forums for student expression and encourage all sides to voice their opinion. Freedom of the press is an inalienable right, carrying with it the freedom and the responsibility to discuss, question and challenge actions of our public and private institutions.

Decisions on which stories to run in the school paper or the online site will be guided by information from the Journalism Education Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the Student Press Law Center Review, current libel laws, the AP Stylebook, Quill and Scroll, and the Canons of Journalism. Final decision on publication rests with student editors and adviser.

The newspapers will not knowingly print stories, pictures, advertisements, or letters that are:

1. obscene;
2. libelous;
3. creating an imminent danger of disruption to the school;
4. factually inaccurate, incorrect style,
5. designed to mislead, deceive or defraud;
6. containing malicious, vindictive or unsubstantiated attacks of a personal, racial or religious nature;
7. calling for violations of laws affecting minors, including purchase or consumption of alcohol, tobacco for those underage, illegal drugs, prostitution, theft, vandalism.

Whenever possible, students will be asked to rewrite unacceptable stories until they can be printed.

Editors and adviser determine which stories to print, based on timeliness, importance to students, interest to students and space available. We realize students cannot learn about freedom of speech nor about responsibility if they are not allowed to practice those things. Within the guidelines of our policy, we give students freedom to determine content of their publications. There is no topic that can't be covered by a student paper; the only consideration is HOW the topic is handled.

We will train students in proper style by requiring a beginning journalism class before joining the newspaper staff. In accordance with Supreme Court rulings, articles, photos or ads may not be censored by faculty, administration or school board, prior to publication, unless provably libelous, obscene or causing substantial disruption.

We will strive to keep our administration as informed as possible and provide the principal with a copy of our editorial policy. We will work with the principal, advising of stories of possible community concern or controversy.

Newspaper production classes are a laboratory for students to learn about newspaper style and production, and we realize mistakes will be made as part of that learning process.

We will try to acknowledge and correct errors in the next issue. Students who intentionally violate editorial policy listed in Section A may be removed from the staff.

The newspapers serve as a forum for free speech for the student body, protected by First Amendment rights. They are not a public relations tool for the school but newspapers, striving to inform, interpret and entertain. They will not avoid problems and print only "positive" articles.

Students may discuss controversial topics, as long as the content is not libelous, obscene, or immediately disruptive to the running of the school. We recognize students do have a right to discuss and criticize administrative decisions.

Letters to the editor and guest columns constitute a forum for free speech open to people outside the regular staff. We will print letters to the editor and guest columns as space permits. We reserve the right to refuse to print letters. Letters must be signed. The letter may be printed without the signature only if the adviser and editors-in-chief feel the student runs the risk of physical harm if identified, and that the reason for printing is compelling enough to include it without the signature. Letters may be edited for length and style.

Editorials will be in larger type, on a clearly-labeled forum or opinion page. They will be written by an editorial staff, composed of page editors, editor-in-chief and two or three interested staff writers. Before each issue, the editorial staff will meet to decide content and stand of the main editorial. Editorials approved by a majority of the board are never signed; they represent the collective opinion of the staff editors. Other opinions expressed in the paper's labeled opinion articles represent the views of the writer only, not the student body, the faculty, the administration or the school board. Students may criticize school, coach or teacher policy in editorials and columns; they may not make remarks about personality or private life that could be construed as invasion of privacy or libel.

Advertising must meet our editorial policy. We won’t print ads that are designed to deceive, mislead or defraud, nor ads offering services illegal to minors. Just as students have the right to determine content of stories, they have the right to refuse advertising in the paper, especially when the ads deal with religious groups, controversial issues, politicians or special interest groups.

When staff wishes additional input on material considered sensitive, questionable or controversial, it may ask a Publications Advisory Committee for a recommendation. The staff is NOT bound by that recommendation.

The Publications Advisory Committee shall consist of: a member of the city's professional press, librarian, curriculum vice principal or other administrator, integration specialist or other community outreach staff member, student body president and General Council president.

The committee will only meet if called for a specific case. The committee may also ask for input from a school district lawyer, or a legal representative from national scholastic journalism organizations.