Nebraska administrators shut down student newspaper, criticize LGBTQIA+ content

School officials at Northwest Public Schools in Nebraska shut down the Viking Saga high school student newspaper on May 19 after the paper published an issue featuring two stories covering LGBTQIA+ issues. Student journalists at the Saga contacted the Student Press Legal Center’s hotline following the censorship of their paper and have been working closely with SPLC for support.

School officials first criticized the Saga in April for publishing student’s preferred pronouns and names in both bylines and in stories. For their final issue of the year, the Saga ran two stories in May the administration claimed were “inappropriate”: A piece covering the history of Pride month and homophobia, and an editorial opposing the Parental Rights in Education law in Florida, commonly know as “Don’t Say Gay.”

Administrators then shut down the 54-year-old award-winning newspaper along with the related journalism class at Northwest.

Hadar Harris, executive director of SPLC, said the censorship and lack of transparency at Northwest is not an isolated case, especially in Nebraska.

“Nebraska has become a center for a number of egregious censorship cases in recent years, but the Saga’s case also indicates a nationwide trend of administrators increasingly censoring LGBTQIA+ related content, including chosen names and pronouns,” Harris said. “We are increasingly concerned about this trend and hope senators in the state’s unicameral legislature take the necessary steps to ensure censorship against student media does not happen moving forward.”

SPLC condemns Northwest’s acts of censorship toward the Saga and will continue to work with the paper’s student journalists and advisers to ensure their right to a free press. SPLC has connected students with the Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and will continue by following up with the school district.

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Censorship isn't always cut and dry. Over the next few weeks, we're highlighting some common red flags, so you can keep an eye out for censorship.

“Our editorial team keeps having to go to meetings with school officials.”

Requiring constant meetings about stories you’ve published or are working on can be a way for school officials to intimidate you and attempt to influence your publication’s content. These actions can be a form of censorship.

Listening and responding to criticism is simply part of doing good journalism. But while constructive criticism can be helpful and should be welcomed, school officials –– or others in your school who have some degree of authority over you –– regularly calling you down to the office to berate or threaten you for your work is not okay.

In public schools, such intimidation might violate the First Amendment. It’s important for you to listen more than you talk in these meetings and to take good notes (or even tape the meeting, where permitted), preferably with other staff members or witnesses present.

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