Today marks World Press Freedom Day, as millions of publications around the world celebrate their ability produce content without having to worry about potential restrictions, whether they be political, business, or otherwise. Lion Tales is grateful to be able to continue to produce truthful, accurate content in spirit of world press freedom. As a school newspaper, we aim to uphold the standards set forth by the great journalists who have come before us.

In the United States, scholastic journalism enjoys a number of protections. As a result, student journalists at our school are free to pursue and publicize their truth without the weight of persecution on their shoulders. We are given the gift to expose new concepts to our community, to condemn unacceptable actions of our nation, and romanticize the small actions of seemingly unnoticed people who make our community such a beloved and diverse space.   

Lion Tales asked Lincoln students what they thought of World Press Freedom Day, and how free press influences them. Here are some of their responses:

Josafat Martinez Garza

“Freedom of the press is an important and crucial part of the constitution that secures our freedom.”

Ozmar Mendez

¨Freedom of the press is important and the press should be able to say whatever they want but I don’t know to a certain extent…depends on the topic.¨

Dimitri Charitou

“Definitely, it’s protected by the first amendment which is part of the Constitution which basically is what founded the United States, so I believe it’s important because it’s kind of like the building blocks of the United States and what it was founded on, and its morals.”

We asked some of our Lion Tales journalists the same question and these were their replies.

Brandon Sullivan

“Free speech is great because it allows us to say whatever we want with very little limit.”

Fernando Serna

“There’s alway limits to something.”

Daniel C.

“Our right to freedom of the press is restricted by the validity and the constitutionality of other laws.”