BREAKING NEWS: Kansas City Press Club

What: First Amendment forum involving college journalism

When: 6:30 p.m., Sept. 14
Where: The Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania, Kansas City

Should student journalists publish stories and editorials that paint their college in a negative light? Should student journalists be allowed to publish summer editions when breaking news warrants? Some college administrators say no. College advisers and student editors say yes.

The Kansas City Press Club invites you to attend a forum exploring these important First Amendment issues. Please invite high school and college students to attend this educational session, too.

The panelists:

• Jennifer Schartz, former journalism teacher and adviser at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan.
• Her Kansas City-based lawyer, Larry Schumaker.

Background: The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri announced Aug. 14 the settlement of a First Amendment lawsuit against the community college on behalf of Schartz, who was fired after her students published articles and editorials about a scandal in the school's athletic department.

• Anne Christiansen-Bullers, Johnson County Community College journalism adviser.
• Student reporter Miguel Morales, who broke the story in The Campus Ledger about sexual harassment allegation against the school's president, Charles J. Carlsen, who since retired.

Background: Christiansen-Bullers led an effort to get authorization to publish the student newspaper this summer, mainly to cover the aftermath of the Carlsen story. The Board of Trustees denied the request, even though funds were available.