Open Letter: the VSB’s Proposed Administrative Policies Restricting Student Journalism
The following letter was sent via email to trustees Chan-Pedly, Fraser, Gonzalez, and Wong on May 10, 2022. A PDF is available here.
MAY 10, 2022
Vancouver School Board Policy and Governance Committee Members (trustees Chan-Pedly, Fraser, Gonzalez, and Wong) - Sent via email
Dear Members of the Policy and Governance Committee,
OPEN LETTER RE: Proposed Administrative Policies Restricting Student Journalism
We write to you as the editors of The Griffins’ Nest, a nationally-recognized, independent student newspaper based out of Eric Hamber Secondary School.
It has come to our attention that the Vancouver School Board (“VSB”) Policy and Governance Committee will be considering two administrative procedure proposals, entitled Extra-Curricular Activities - Secondary Schools and Social Media Guidelines at the May 11 committee meeting. After a careful analysis of both proposals, it is our conclusion that they threaten the very idea of a free student press and represent a dangerous precedent for the suppression of student journalism across our District and Canada.
Generally speaking, journalists are prohibited by their ethical codes from participating in advocacy when they actively report on those same subjects. However, when freedom of the press is at risk, we find ourselves in the awkward yet necessary position to become advocates. As such, while there are some elements that we find concerning from the perspective of students generally, we will restrict our feedback to you as elected officials specifically to the contexts that limit our journalism.
We call on you to reject these proposals, including "piloting" them or anything analogous, and we do not feel this proposal is in our best interest as students.
The proposed administrative procedures significantly remove students' agency from clubs, creates a state of perpetual surveillance, and affords concerning authority to non-students. There is zero possibility The Griffins' Nest or any other critical student media would be able to operate under these demonstrably restrictive proposals.
These administrative procedures were brought forth without the consultation of ourselves, as arguably the most public school-based club, and the Vancouver District Students' Council (we contacted them and checked). In addition, the Administrative Procedures Working Group does not include any student representation.
Below is a line-by-line review of elements we find concerning.
Extra-Curricular Activities - Secondary Schools
1.1 Extra-curricular activities will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Human Rights Code of BC, and board policy and regulations.
Neither the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms nor the Human Rights Code of British Columbia are documents that a school district can opt-in or out of. They apply notwithstanding a district's assertions. The phraseology appears to introduce the erroneous context that students are
to abide by the Charter, when in reality, that document is specifically designed to place restrictions on a public institution to prevent harm being done to those who are served by those institutions.
5.1 Each club will be identified by a name that is descriptive of the nature of the organization and will be guided by a charter which specifies the purpose, membership and operation of the organization and the name of the supervisor.
By virtue of this, we would not be in compliance with this procedure, as our name, The Griffins' Nest, is presumably not descriptive in nature.
6.4 The principal is responsible for approving the purposes and goals of an extra- curricular activity and ensuring that they are appropriate to the age, physical, and intellectual maturity of the students and, also, for ensuring the appropriate involvement of a supervisor.
This section is extremely concerning. It affords broad power to a principal to arbitrarily decide what is and is not appropriate for a student, based on very vague guidelines. For us, one could make the flawed argument that students are not capable of journalism, and therefore we should cease our operations or bring them down to a level supposedly more suited for our "intellectual maturity". Obviously, this would be an absurd statement, as without a doubt we have clearly and very publicly demonstrated that journalism capable of changing a school district is well within our capability. But yet, the threat remains.
Similarly, the same could be said for our sponsor, who has no journalism background. We, the students, are entirely responsible for editorial decisions as well as our own journalism educational development. That is a significant part of why The Griffins' Nest is such a valuable opportunity — the fact that it is student-run. The proposed administrative procedures remove the possibility of further student-led learning opportunities such as The Griffins' Nest and give administrators extreme latitude to arbitrarily determine our operation exceeds what they deem acceptable. There is also no way for students to appeal that decision.
Humbly, we understand student journalism better than any regulating authority. We abide by two sets of professional ethics codes and some of our editors are quite literally card-carrying members of the Canadian Association of Journalists. It is precisely the fact that our club does practice journalism that places the VSB in a position to afford more freedom to our operation, not less.
7.3 The statement of purpose shall not imply criminal or illegal activity; promote bigotry; suggest indoctrination; or otherwise espouse views which are antithetical to the educational values which are intended to be inculcated
This section is also extremely concerning. It is the perspective of The Griffins’ Nest that the freedoms of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, are essential human rights, and in the context of a newspaper, freedoms that invite a myriad of perspectives to inspire and bring about social, economic, scientific, and political change and progression. Is this indoctrination? Obviously not. But it is possible under these procedures we would have to fend off such arguments. This section is dangerous and should be stricken.
7.6 Generally, clubs are intended to be fiscally self-supporting. All fiscal transactions must have the authority of the sponsor and/or Principal.
This section reads as though the VSB has plans to stop giving grants to every club to support their work. Why something like that appears to be under consideration is not apparent to us. We would seek confirmation as to whether the VSB, through each respective school-based administrative team, intends to continue funding school clubs, including ourselves.
Social Media Guidelines
3.2 Employees may create school-based social media account(s) by obtaining approval from their principal or direct management supervisor. The principal or supervisor will notify the District communications department of any approved social media accounts.
3.3 Social media accounts created for/by school clubs and/or extra-curricular activities are the responsibility of the sponsor teacher. This includes account creation, access, and content.
3.4 Communications and content on school/District social media accounts must comply with this Procedure and will be subject to monitoring by the District. The District reserves the right to remove any postings, or content of any other nature, from such approved social media platforms that they consider to be inappropriate or in violation of this procedure.
These three sections are, respectfully, unconscionable and a direct threat our rights. We publish articles sometimes critical of the VSB to social media and receive confidential information from sources through those channels. It is not apparent why the District would consider something like this, except for the explicit purpose of restricting student journalism.
As these policies relate to an increase in the duties and responsibilities of administrators and teachers, as well as increases the liability of the District, we would hope that the Vancouver Secondary Teachers' Association and the Vancouver Association of Secondary School Administrators was consulted in this matter. And as these policies relate to expressive rights of teachers, we would hope that the British Columbia Teachers' Federation has been informed and had an opportunity to weigh in on this.
We urge you to vigorously reject these proposals that will damage student journalism and make you unaccountable to your constituents.
We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely,
Hannah Azad
Executive Editor
Erika Chung
Executive Editor
Spencer Izen
Editor-in-Chief
Jessica Kim
Managing Editor
Stephen Kosar
Executive Editor
CC: Alan Patola Moosmann (Vancouver DPAC)
Vik Khanna (Vancouver DPAC)
Helen McGregor, Superintendent (Vancouver School Board)
J. David Green, Secretary Treasurer (Vancouver School Board)