Editorial Policies

Editorial Policies and Standards

All members of The Patriot Press are held to the highest standards of ethics, as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists, their central tenant being “Seek truth and report it.”

The Patriot Press also follows the “National Scholastic Press Association Model Code of Ethics” and the “JEA Model Editorial Policy.”

Principles of NSPA’s Code of Ethics:

Be Responsible.
Be Fair.
Be Honest.
Be Accurate.
Be Independent.
Minimize Harm.
Be Accountable.

Freedom of The Press:

“Our liberty depends on freedom of the press and that cannot be limited without being lost.” – Thomas Jefferson

As it is essential to preserve the freedom of the press in order to preserve a free society:

The Patriot Press will serve the best interest of the students and faculty of Carrollwood Day School, keeping itself free from any commercial obligations distracting from this purpose; this is defined by the media itself;
Any decisions affecting the publication on all levels will be made collaboratively between stakeholders (staff members, editors, administration, adviser);
It is the responsibility of the editorial board to prevent material it judges to be in violation of the media editorial policy from being printed. The editorial board may be subject to disciplinary action from administration in the event it does not act in accordance with the policies herein;
The Patriot Press will vigorously resist all attempts at censorship, particularly pre-publication censorship. Though granted this freedom, the media acknowledges and understands that with power comes responsibility; the editorial staff is not exempted from accountability for its choices following failure to act in accordance with the policies herein;
The Patriot Press retains the right to publish any and all material obtained through an interview by a staff member of the publications staff, holding that the interviewee was made aware that the information could be published in any form at any time;
All student media referenced in this editorial policy are designated public forums;
Student journalists may use print and electronic media to report news and information, to communicate with other students and individuals, to ask questions of and consult with experts, and to gather material to meet their news gathering and research needs;
The Patriot Press and its staff are protected by and bound to the principles of the First Amendment and other protections and limitations afforded by the Constitution and the various laws and court decisions implementing those principles;
The Patriot Press will not publish any material determined by staff members, advisers, or the student editorial board to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous, obscene, materially disruptive of the school process, an unwarranted invasion of privacy, a violation of copyright or a promotion of products or services unlawful (illegal) as to minors as defined by state or federal law;
The Patriot Press will not publish any material determined to originate outside of The Patriot Press (plagiarized content); all work therein is the original work of its author;
Definitions and examples for the above instances of unprotected speech can be found in Law of the Student Press published by the Student Press Law Center.

Copyright information:

Student-created stories and media are the property of The Patriot Press, school newspaper of Carrollwood Day School. These stories and media cannot be copied or used in any other publication without express written permission obtained from the adviser. Wire photos and stories are courtesy of Unsplash/Negative Space/The Associated Press/Getty Images for publication only in this student newspaper.

Editorial Policy:

All editorials reflect the opinions of The Patriot Press’ editorial staff on issues that are presently relevant to CDS students. However they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire school, administration, or staff.

Outside Contributions and Comments Policy:

Letters to the editor will be approved by the adviser and editorial staff and will be used only if signed and verified by the author.

The Patriot Press staff retains the right to (and will) block any comment that has profanity, threats, personal attacks, or spam.

Social Media Policy:

Social media is used to engage with the CDS’s student body and to promote The Patriot Press and its content. Social media posts will be held to the same standard as all other reporting.

Obituary Policy:

Any current student, writer, teacher, or administrator that dies during the school year will be recognized on The Patriot Press in the spirit of celebrating the life and legacy of a member of our community. Significant former members of our community may also be commemorated, if deemed appropriate by the editorial board, the adviser, or the administration.

The Patriot Press will work in earnest to obtain permission and media from the deceased’s family prior to publication; if permission cannot be obtained in a timely manner The Patriot Press will work in conjunction with administration to determine appropriate action.

In the event there is a post-publication request for privacy from the deceased’s family, The Patriot Press will remove any published material. Unless given explicit permission by the family, cause or manner of death will not be disclosed; in all cases The Patriot Press’s focus is to memorialize, commemorate, and celebrate life.

Advertising Policy:

In order to maintain the ethical and moral autonomy of the media, The Patriot Press does not advertise or entertain solicitations or quid pro quos.

Corrections Policy:

The media seeks to find the truth and report it. The Patriot Press will make every effort to substantiate claims, facts, and other information prior to publication. Report errors to [email protected] and [email protected]. Corrections made to published articles will be noted with the date at the bottom of the page. Major corrections will be determined by the editors and adviser.

Differences of opinion do not constitute erroneous reporting; the media is necessarily receptive to constructive criticism while also operating under the intrinsic International Baccalaureate understanding that “people with their differences can also be right.”