About

The JagWire is an award-winning  news magazine run by motivated student journalists at Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, Kan. The JagWire prints eight issues a year, circulating on a monthly basis. In addition to its print addition, www.mvnews.org serves as the JagWire’s online equivalent and posts additional print as well as web-exclusive content.

Our staff consists of 24 students and one fantastic adviser, Kathy Habiger.

The JagWire staff upholds the following policies in accordance with ethical journalism practices:

Censorship Policy

Kansas Senate Bill 62 guarantees the same rights for student journalists as are given to professional journalists. These rights include, but are not limited to, all First Amendment rights guaranteed in our Constitution of the United States, including the rights to freedom of expression, insofar as published items may not contain libel or obscene statements, invade the privacy of individuals, cause a substantial disruption to school activity or incite others to violate school policies or rules. This bill does not allow the adviser, administrator, or other faculty to censor the paper in any way. If administrators wish to preview an issue before publication, they will then assume legal responsibility for all reviewed content that is published. No staffer shall publish false information, information that harms a person’s reputation or information that falls under the pretense of libel. All material shall be reported truthfully. No material shall be substantially disruptive to the school or community, encourage law breaking or violation of school policy or contain obscenity.

Code of Ethics

With the right to freedom of expression comes an obligation to the highest ideals of the journalistic profession. All journalists, including ourselves, should be responsible, accurate, sincere, truthful and impartial, as well as tasteful in journalistic practices. All JagWire staff members shall work to uphold all of these ideals.

Obscenity Policy

The JagWire shall deal with profane language as stated in the AP style guide under “obscenity.” The appropriateness of all content will be judged by the editor and adviser if necessary.

Letters to the Editor

In order for any letter to the editor to be published, it must be signed. Letters published in The JagWire do not reflect the ideas or opinions of the JagWire staff, district students or staff. The JagWire staff has the right to not print anything that is libelous or obscene. Letters may be edited for length if necessary. Letters to the Editor can be submitted by contacting jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com

Editorial Policy

Editorials and other expressions of opinion will be clearly labeled. When a staff editorial is written, the editorial board will decide the topic and then the entire staff will discuss its views on the subject. After the rough draft is written, it will be read to the staff who will then have the opportunity to add ideas or give feedback. The editorial will have no byline and will be labeled “staff editorial.” Staff editorials will attempt to represent the views of the entire staff. Personal columns may not represent the views of the staff.

Photography policy

The JagWire staff will not alter photos except to improve the quality of the photo. We may crop, make color corrections, lighten and darken. We will not flip, or skew photos. Any alterations to the photo not listed here or any alterations in the content of a photo will be labeled as a photo illustration.

First Amendment

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”