We are currently studying censorship. At my school, a recent incident occured, and I want your opinion of whether it qualifies as censorship.
An editorial was written about an occurence at my school, which resulted in disciplinary action. One line in the article mentioned that 14 students were expelled from student council for their poor conduct. We were ordered to remove this line from the editorial, as to not offend students expelled from the aforementioned organization (although they were not named). The removal of this line was justified by the administration under Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, becaue leaving it in could result in a "significant disruption" to the atmosphere of the school (the 15 students might feel humiliated). Wikipedia defines censorship as " Censorship is the suppression of speech or other communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient to the general body of people as determined by a government, media outlet, or other controlling body." Would this not qualify as censorship?
Years ago, the thinking was that since high school citizens are minors, the school acts in loco parentis. That means that the school takes the place of the parents while the student is at school. Schools had the right to censor student publications.
However, court cases seem to have changed the practice.
http://www.splc.org/knowyourrights/legalresearch.asp?id=4
Based on the information you provided, it does appear that the removal of the line from the editorial could be considered a form of censorship. Censorship typically involves the suppression or restriction of speech or communication that is deemed objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient by a controlling body. In this case, the administration ordered the removal of a line from the editorial to prevent potential humiliation of the expelled students, even though they were not named.
The justification provided by the administration, citing the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case, is often used to limit free speech rights of students in school-sponsored publications. However, it is important to note that Hazelwood specifically applies to student-sponsored speech that can be reasonably attributed to the school. Whether the removal of the line in this particular circumstance is justified under Hazelwood would require a closer examination of the specific details and context.
If you want a definitive answer on whether this qualifies as censorship, it would be best to consult with legal professionals or experts specializing in First Amendment rights or censorship. They would be able to analyze your specific situation and provide informed guidance.