On April 30th the Curtis Log staff boarded a coach bus and drove up to Albany  to advocate for the Student Journalist Free Speech Act to be passed into state legislature. The trip was a group effort between different schools all across New York State and an advocacy group called New Voices. Their main effort was to spread awareness about this new act, and to share information on student journalists’ free speech rights. They hope to return New York to the Tinker standard, which states that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech  at the schoolhouse gate.” What the act does not cover is defamatory speech, invasion of privacy,  incitement of violence, disruption of school operations, and promotion of illegal activity.

The Log arrived outside the Legislative building bright and early at 9:30 am, meeting up with other students and the event’s organizer, Mike Simmons.

Mr. Simmons quickly placed students in groups of four or five and handed out schedules for meetings with assembly members and councilpeople. Then students were moved through security and the work began. Throughout the morning, different free speech advocates could be seen rushing to their next meeting. In between, students would drop postcards in mailboxes to further spread the word. One group with Log Editors Greer Gerney and Elizabeth Reich got to meet with Charles Fall, who is Curtis’ assembly member, and is himself a Curtis graduate. “It was really cool to see someone who came from Curtis making such a name for themselves. He seemed really enthusiastic about the act too, I hope he sponsors it,” remarked Gerney.

Before leaving for home, the New Voices group got to watch the senate floor, and got honored by Donna Lupardo. Just like Charles Fall, she too is a proud Curtis graduate. Overall, responses to the bill were positive. At the time of this article being written, it has yet to reach the floor, so no judgment has been passed.

Although the Curtis Log doesn’t deal with censorship from the administration very often, there are schools that struggle with this daily. “I went on this trip to make sure that no student journalist has to worry about what they say in their paper. Students might have something good to say but what’s the point if they get censored? It’s just a really important issue that effects all of us,” said Atticus Tacopino, writer for the Log. All the students present that day agreed that the fight was bigger than just their respective schools, and even bigger than just New York State.

“I believe that the Student Journalist Free Speech Act will pass. At least I’m hopeful for it anyways. Especially in times like these, the truth really matters,” said Nadia Chin.