Writing History

“It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

Tinker v. Des Moines, 393 U.S. 503 (1969)

Legal Precedent

Before Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, the Supreme Court found that the First Amendment protected students’ right to free speech in public schools. In Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), the Court recognized the right of students to wear black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. Later, in Bethel v. Fraser (1986), the Court clarified student free speech rights by allowing a school to punish a student for lewd speech that the administration found disruptive and offensive.

Just two years later, the Supreme Court further clarified student free speech rights in Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier.

Journalism at Hazelwood East High School

Spectrum was the newspaper produced by the students of the Journalism II class at Hazelwood East High School. Students researched, wrote, selected, and laid out the articles in the paper. Their journalism advisor, Robert Stergos, gave input and advice. Final approval of each issue came from the principal, Robert “Gene” Reynolds. Funding for the publication came from both the school board and newspaper sales. Spectrum was circulated within Hazelwood East and the surrounding community.

Mr. Stergos ensured his students received real-world journalism experience. He arranged field trips to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offices where students spoke with professional journalists. Students followed established journalism guidelines. Stories covered matters of interest to the entire Hazelwood community, such as race relations, teenage drug use, and the death penalty.