By Qi Mai
Over the past year, student journalists across four California campuses have faced serious threats and retaliation for their work.
Most recently, on April 23, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Eric Gustafson, a journalism teacher and advisor at Lowell High School in San Francisco, was reassigned to teach only English classes. Gustafson claims the decision was retaliation for student reporting, which administrators found controversial. The San Francisco Unified School District argues the move was routine and unrelated to student journalism.
The controversy stems from an October 2024 article in The Lowell, the student-run newspaper, which quoted three students — under pseudonyms — alleging verbal harassment by teachers. Although no teachers were named, the article caused unrest on campus, with some students confronting staff they believed were implicated. Gustafson also cited Principal Jan Bautista’s concerns over a proposed investigation into whether English teachers were using AI to grade papers.
In response, the Journalism Education Association of Northern California sent a letter to SFUSD leaders, warning that Gustafson’s reassignment may violate California’s student free expression laws. Gustafson is now seeking pro bono legal support and considering legal action, arguing that the district’s actions threaten student press freedom.
Just last year, the Mountain View Voice reported on February 27, 2024, that student journalists at Mountain View High School were pressured to censor an investigative article on sexual harassment. After publishing the story in the student publication, The Oracle, they experienced administrative retaliation. In response, students and their advisor filed a lawsuit alleging censorship, threats and violations of California’s student free speech laws.
These incidents have prompted strong responses from local journalism organizations and sparked broader conversations about student journalism, press freedom and the First Amendment
“Bullying or intimidating high school or college journalists will not be tolerated, and we rise against it,” said San Francisco State Journalism Chair Jessa Garnier. “Lowell’s actions against their long-time journalism advisor are an embarrassment to the institution and must be immediately reversed. I’m not a lawyer so I can’t give legal advice or opinion. But, to put it simply: It stinks. And we can smell it from here, across the street at SF State. We will do everything we can to support Eric, Thomas and any journalism students who face this kind of narrow-minded and dangerous action to censor their work and silence their voice.”
The incident at Lowell High School raises important legal and constitutional concerns surrounding student press freedoms and the protections afforded to their faculty advisors under California law.
David Greene, Civil Liberties director and senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, analyzed California laws that grant student journalists substantially the same rights as professional journalists, recognizing the critical role of editorial independence even within a school environment. This legal framework is designed to shield student expression from undue interference and, by extension, to protect journalism advisors who support these rights.
“The Journalism Teacher Protection Act specifically prohibits schools from retaliating against advisors for defending student press freedoms,” Greene said. “Any administrative action that undermines these protections — such as removing a journalism teacher in response to controversial student reporting — not only risks violating state law but also creates a chilling effect on student expression.”
The loss of a journalism adviser or class, as seen at Lowell High School, can have far-reaching consequences. This could leave student journalists without critical guidance and may significantly diminish their ability to publish the newspaper. This disruption weakens the infrastructure that supports student journalism, threatens to silence the student voice entirely and undermines the school’s entire journalism ecosystem.
Such outcomes are contrary to both the spirit and letter of California’s student free expression laws, and merit careful scrutiny.
As these cases illustrate, student journalists are increasingly operating in a climate where their rights — and those of their advisers — are being challenged. California’s robust legal protections for student expression are not merely symbolic; they are essential safeguards that uphold democratic values within educational institutions.
When schools retaliate against those who support free and responsible student journalism, they risk not only violating the law but also eroding the very foundations of civic education.
Resolution
District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar authored a student journalism resolution, introduced at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, May 6.
Adopted on Tuesday, May 13, the resolution supported the student journalists at Lowell High School and throughout San Francisco. Staff members of The Lowell were in attendance at the meeting and spoke up during public comment. Following this, Melgar advocated for the freedoms of student journalists.
“[This] is about how student journalists are being treated, and a demand to the SFUSD to develop and implement consistent policies and procedures compliant with the law and that respect the rights of student journalists,” Melgar said. “While our constitution is being undermined, we must forcefully support the right of free speech.”