Students believe this restrictive policy change may pave the way for more censorship. They say they are frustrated because school officials deny that any revisions have been made to the publications policy despite clear evidence. There have been no changes in policy at all. When the Report read Porter two different versions of the district's Student Rights and Responsibility regulations, one from the 1996-97 school year, and one that said it was revised in June of 1997 that contained additional publication restrictions, Porter seemed confused. He suggested that the explanation of the policy may have changed, but the regulations themselves did not.
Students are outraged.
Blair's newspaper, Silver Chips, has not been censored concedes Jentleson, but he claims this is part of administration strategy. If they censor anything, that gives us a peg to hang our whole argument on. Jentleson said he would not be surprised if content regulations were imposed following a controversy over a student show on WBNC last year. An episode of Shades of Grey, a live show produced by Blair students and broadcast in their community, featuring a same-sex marriage topic, was censored by school administrators in October 1996. Students appealed to the school board, which overruled the superintendent in April and allowed the Shades of Grey episode to air.