Montgomery County's superintendent maintained a district memo that student journalists are advocating against, which gives school administrators the power to veto stories.

At the June 25 Board of Education meeting, the superintendent declined to withdraw a district memo requiring administrator pre-approval of student newspaper stories at all 25 MCPS high schools, despite student journalists calling the policy an illegal prior restraint. The policy applies to Potomac-area schools, including Winston Churchill High School and Thomas S. Wootton High School.

The memo, issued in March by Dr. Peter Moran, MCPS chief of school leadership, directs every high school principal to designate an administrator to review the final draft of any student publication before printing or distribution. Its list of prohibited content includes "profanity or vulgar language," "bullying, harassment, or ridicule of individuals or groups" and language "implying wrongdoing without verification."

Student journalists say those categories are far broader than what Maryland law permits.

"This memo includes language so vague that it gives administrators basically a blank check to kill any story that is controversial," said Ian Chen, a student journalist at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville who has led the organized pushback.

Chen authored an open letter published on The Tide's website representing journalists and advisers from all 25 high schools and the mastheads of 20 student newspapers. The letter includes a public petition and calls on community members to contact the Board of Education.

How the memo conflicts with state law

Maryland's New Voices Act, signed into law in 2016, prohibits prior restraint of student publications except in four narrow cases: libel or slander, invasion of privacy, violations of law or content that incites a clear and present danger of disruption. The memo's prohibited-content list extends beyond those four exceptions, based on the Student Press Law Center's published interpretation of the statute.

The law does not expressly ban prior review, meaning administrators can look at student work before distribution. But requiring approval before publication is a different matter, students argue, because it gives a principal effective veto power over reporting.

Superintendent's response

At the June 25 meeting, Superintendent Thomas Taylor said MCPS is "very proud of our student journalists" and that the district would follow the New Voices Act. He pointed to an appeals process for students who dispute decisions. Taylor characterized the memo as prior review rather than prior restraint, arguing it aligns with board policy and Maryland law.

Students who attended said his response repeated previous statements without addressing the memo's specific language. Abigail Lee, incoming editor-in-chief of The Tide at Richard Montgomery, said the superintendent's answer was "almost a repetition of what we've been hearing for the past weeks." Aditi Lyer, incoming co-editor-in-chief, said the memo's practical effect matters more than its stated intent: even if the goal isn't to prevent reporting on important issues, students will feel afraid to write what they need to write.

The next Board Business Meeting is Thursday, July 16, at 4:00 p.m. Community members can reach the Board at [email protected].