And some people think the Falcon is bad….

At a private university in Florida a student newspaper published an April Fool’s edition that so upset both students and administrators that the paper was shut down for the year and the staff was fired.

This incident raises many different issues: The responsibilities editors owe their readers; the responsibilities of universities to students; and just what kind of remedies are appropriate when a newspaper steps way over the line of responsible behavior. This incident also illustrates the difference in First Amendment protection between public and private universities.

“Student journalism really pushes it to the limit sometimes,” McKeen said. “(But) freedom of the press allows for irresponsibility. The First Amendment doesn’t require you do the right thing. You just hope they will.”

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/newsH1041103.htm

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/orl-locfired11041103apr11,0,532395.story?coll=orl%2Dnews%2Dheadlines%2Dvolusia

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