4-29-14 fdl high school newspaper censored over article on censorship

Students are planning a protest this week over a new Fond du Lac school district censorship policy following an article earlier this year in the high school newspaper that focused on sexual assault.   Cardinal Columns art designer, Austin Klewicki, tells WFDL news dozens of students from Fond du Lac and other area high schools plan to participate in the sit-in protest outside the principal’s office Thursday morning.  After the article was published the superintendent  instituted a new policy that said the principal and superintendent had final say on any article before it was published.  Klewicki asked the school board Monday night to reconsider the policy before the school year is over.  Superintendent Dr. Jim Sebert says he is aware of the planned protest.  Meanwhile UW Oshkosh journalism professor Vince Filak says after all of the negative national publicity surrounding the school district's actions after the first article he learned the principal has censored a follow-up article on censorship, by telling students they couldn’t run a graphic along with the article of a student with duck tape over the mouth.  "Its probably the closest version of irony I've seen in a long time and I find it offensive that they would be willing to step out on something like that,"  Filak told WFDL news.  "There's nothing wrong with it (article) there's nothing obscene with it.  My understanding is the principal felt it was disrespectful.   I find his censorship disrespectful and that's why I'm here."  Filak says he was also made aware that the principal told journalism students they needed to use courtesy titles such as Mr. and Mrs. in their articles.  AP style says courtesy titles should not be used unless its a direct quote or when the subject being discussed specifically requests it.