High School principal explains decision to pull stories on tattoos
The Community Section of Wednesday’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch carried a short item from the Suburban Journals in which the principal of Timberland High School in Wentzville defended his decision last month to pull stories about tattoos from the student newspaper. (Link to the students’ stories.)
The item was extracted from a longer story in the Journals by Kalen Ponche.
Basically, the story provided an explanation from Principal Winston Rogers that students had sought in the weeks since the article was pulled. Several national student journalism organizations reported on the topic in the interim — among them the Student Press Law Center and High School Journalism.org
From Ponche’s article Tuesday:
“This has created a lot of thinking,” said Timberland High School Principal Winston Rogers, who last month pulled stories about tattoos from the school’s student newspaper. “I think everyone can grow from some of this now.”
Student journalists were angered in October after Rogers blocked the stories from being published in the Wolf’s Howl newspaper. Rogers initially approved the page but changed his mind after further consideration, he said.
He said it may be difficult for people to understand the incident from a principal’s point of view. A principal is responsible for judging content based on what’s appropriate for students in the school and whether it supports the mission of the school, he said. Those decisions are often difficult.
“Sometimes they aren’t the most pleasant of decisions, and sometimes may not reflect our own personal beliefs, but reflect the beliefs we have in the position,” Rogers said.
Rogers said students, like professional journalists, must think about their audiences.
“Everyone who is writing a story has to think about it and think about the repercussions before they put it in the newspaper,” he said.
Students on the staff of the Wolf’s Howl have said they are still unclear about what they can write. Wolf’s Howl co-editor-in-chief Nikki McGee said she does not know whether the tattoo articles were pulled because of the topic or whether they could have covered tattoos in a different way.
Rogers said he objected to the stories in October because only students 18 and older can get tattoos on their own. McGee said she wants to meet with Wentzville Superintendent Terry Adams and Rogers to clarify district policies and get a list of things that are off limits.
Update: I’ve been informed by Post-Dispatch reporter Todd C. Frankel that state law permits people younger than 18 to get tattoos, but they must have the permission of a parent and that permission must be granted in the presence of the tattooist.
Steve Parker is the deputy managing editor for news, and oversees the Post-Dispatch's front page. STLtoday's online news editors are on his newsroom team. Parker has been at the paper since September 1980. 
I know tattoos are “cool” but what kids don’t get is that you limit your future opportunities because you are judged on your appearance. Rightly or wrongly it’s the way it is.
Good for Mr. Adams. I think he handled it appropriately.
Bud Wiser-
That’s not the point. Have you heard of Freedom of the Press?
I am surprised the pricipal of the school even has the power to read the contents of the paper before going to press.
jamiepoo -
Since the school spends it’s money (actually our money, as taxpayers) on publishing the paper, there is no freedom of the press issue, as the principal serves as an agent of the publisher (school district). Just like in all newspapers the editors and eIC all answer to the publishers.
jamiepoo-
Freedom of press or speech doesn’t apply to a high school newspaper. It’s like a dress code. He has the right to enforce it as he deems appropriate. Like he has the right to enforce a dress code. Another comparison would be like the Moderator on these comment blogs can edit out anything they deem inappropriate or off topic.
Jamiepoo-
I think you are forgetting the fact that freedom of the press has its limits. Taxpayer funded programs (which is what public schools are) do not get the freedom to print whatever they want. Beside that fact, this is still high school, where students need to be monitored constantly, and yes, as sad as it may be, sheltered from some things.
I believe that this has gone to court a few times, and each time the court says schools do have the right to censor school publications and newspapers. Think of the principle as the editor in chief. He gets the final say in what gets published.
What am I missing? Why did he pull the story? Was it offensive in some way?
Bud Wiser wrote: “what kids don’t get is that you limit your future opportunities because you are judged on your appearance.”
Besides that statement in itself being a very sad commentary about society, I want to remind you that not all tattos are visible. Many / most are not and have no affect in the work place. I am a professional and have several tattoos and it has never hampered my ability to get a job. Now if you want to go all “Mike Tyson” and do your face like that - then you are correct. That will turn you off to some careers. Narrow minded people will judge you. Otherwise it is really much ado about nothing…just like men getting ear-rings in the ’80’s…no big deal…
As someone who was the editor of my school paper (back in the day), went to J School and is now a parent of high school students, I have to say, a principal has to have the right to censor a school paper. If not, the kids will potentially put a lot of inappropriate stuff in there. The paper is a reflection on the school and, like it or not, a reflection on the people who run that school. If he allowed an article on tattoos in the school paper and then a bunch of students went home wanting tattoos and quoting things from the article - parents would be screaming that the school was “encouraging” their kids to do things that they aren’t even of age to do without parental consent. I’m sure they aren’t allowed to write about going out drinking underage either….
“Student journalists were angered..” Welcome to the real world ladies and gentlemen. Feel free to go out and get a real cool tat. Remember, get the wrong tat in the wrong place and you lock yourself out of alot of opportunities that you can’t see at your young age. But hey what do I know? I’m just some old guy, that couldn’t possibly understand the pressures of youth and individuality.