Reporting as a student journalist in Brevard County has never been more challenging than it is now.
In the past, interviewing people for the “Roar” newsmagazine or “Arcadia” yearbook never involved anything more than a phone and a transcription app. However, with the passage of Wireless Communications Device (WCD) Policy 5136 — which bans the use of cell phones from the start of the school day to the end in all Brevard Public Schools — the journalism program has reverted to forgotten techniques.
The phone ban is just one example of ways programs are being put to the test. Students in all three journalism staffs must now use audio recorders to conduct interviews — devices that the staffs had to pay out of pocket. If they want to take a photo for a story, they must talk to a teacher and check out a camera. And if student journalists have to contact someone for an interview, they must either wait until the end of the school day or hope their email is seen in time.
Quick and constant coverage is at risk of dying out, a consequence of strict rules without exceptions and zero funding for extra equipment. While most staff members have adjusted to using cameras and audio recorders in place of phones, the county’s latest policy is part of a larger pattern revealing that student journalists are being devalued.
Investing in journalism programs enriches school campuses. In the West Shore newsroom, for example, adviser Linda Foster guides from the back of the classroom and the students lead in the front. Whether staff members are breaking news stories in the “Roar” magazine or filming B-roll for a WCTZ News package, a culture of collaboration and creative zeal is evident in every project. Student journalists are the bridge between students and authority figures, asking the tough questions and always searching for the “why.” Yet for all the ways that journalism gives back to the community, it is one of the most overlooked programs in the district.
Lately, the district has made it clear where its educational priorities lie. Being part of the Space Coast, where industries in engineering and technology take center stage, it makes sense that the district invests millions in STEM and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Social media accounts for Brevard Public Schools overflow with posts about science fair winners, robotics competitions and CTE accomplishments. Meanwhile, despite securing international awards and state recognition at the Florida Scholastic Press Association, West Shore’s journalism programs have never been mentioned. The district is sending a message that learning STEM and technical skills is more valuable than taking classes in humanities or liberal arts.
Critics may argue that student journalism programs do not receive much attention in the district because there are not many to begin with; less than half of Brevard County Public Schools have a journalism program aside from a yearbook. However, there are systematic barriers that arise when trying to implement a successful program. For one, journalism classes now merely count for elective credits in Florida. Previously, students needed to have at least one credit in “fine or performing arts, speech and debate, or practical arts” to graduate. This meant that journalism, which used to count as a practical art, would count toward the graduation requirement. However, in 2023, the Florida Department of Education switched “practical arts” to “career and technical education,” effectively cutting journalism from the equation. If classes like digital art and debate meet the credit requirement, why does journalism not?
Whether students are writing opinion pieces for a magazine or creating layouts for a yearbook spread, they are learning the same skills that the credit requirement seeks to develop — communication, research, ethics and design. Watching the number of Journalism 1 classes offered at West Shore drop from three to two, the effect has been clear: students are now turning to music, art and debate to meet the requirement. Regardless of whether the reclassification was intended to reduce participation in journalism programs, both the state and district are discouraging students from exploring a field that could spark future careers.
The price to pay will be immense — student journalists inform their campuses and highlight the stories that would otherwise go unnoticed. They are the record keepers of their schools, capturing moments in school history through print and video alike. Without them and their ability to quickly report on stories, what happens to student voice and representation, or holding higher-ups accountable? If schools and districts care about student representation, supporting student journalism is essential.
State leaders must consider the value of student journalism and what these programs offer to those involved and their communities. At the district level, Brevard County officials can highlight and recognize student reporters the way they celebrate students in STEM and CTE. Within schools, administrators should defend student expression and ensure that student journalists are informed before covering events. And where programs do not yet exist, leaders and students alike should collaborate to develop them.
Student journalists are amplifiers, storytellers and defenders of free speech. Their voices cannot, and should not, be silenced.
