Frank LaMonte Rocks!

The energy, intelligence, insight and enthusiasm exhibited by Student Press Law Center executive director Frank La Monte was a great way for 30 visiting high school journalism teachers to begin their Monday morning series of sessions at the Reynolds High School Journalism Institute. His great handouts, Powerpoint examples and powerful vignettes helped provide contexts for new ways of thinking how to guide the news gathering process of our respective high school newspapers in and out of controversial topics. I think we all appreciate the examples he provided as guideposts for when to consider engaging with school officials and when to back off.

One example that was somewhat familiar to me and my students was the vignette he provided about Adlai Stevenson High School, arguably the biggest, richest and best-equipped high school in Illinois. Earlier this year Stevenson was in the Chicago dailies when students when caught dealing crack in class using cell phones. As you can imagine, most teens have strong views on cell phone bans, including my students at one of the poorer community schools. I had my students read stories in both papers about cell phone bans and rich and poor schools and what caught their eye was the fact that at inner city schools, low-income parents were fined for school infractions including using cell phones in class and other items -- sometimes as much $200. Stevenson parents were not. My students, who had mixed views on the pros and cons of cell phones, had nearly unanimous views on their idea that either ALL parents be fined or no parents be fined, that it not be a race, class or regional matter. I took their hand-written letters to the editor to the Chicago Tribune. A few days later, the editorial page editor, who had once spoken to my Columbia College "professional writing" students, e-mailed me saying she was delighted by their commentaries and wanted to publish 2 letters.  While she didn't publish the more provocative of their 30 or so letters, she liked two opposing views. Here's the two letters from 3-24.

Phone privacy
I am writing about high-school officials who search student cell phones. Some kids in high school are always using cell phones in school, but it is wrong to take someone's phone and check his or her records. As a high-school junior at Hales Franciscan High School, I feel that it is wrong to take a student's phone and charge him or her to get it back. It is morally wrong and unjust for that to happen.
— Frank Adams, Chicago
Students' phones
I am a Hales Franciscan High School junior, and I am glad to see that some teachers are finally cracking down on the use of cell phones in class. This is an ongoing problem in all high schools. Even with school rules forbidding the use of cell phones in schools, students use them anyway. However, I do have a problem with schools going through the students' phones. While I understand school officials need to maintain order, I take issue with schools being able to go through these students' phones.
— Teddy Holliday, Chicago