Issue 1 Editorial: The Hoofprint policy

The goal of The Hoofprint, a student-run organization, is to provide both an online and print forum for the dissemination and discussion of campus-related events and concerns. Therefore, we will uphold our responsibility to ensure accurate and related coverage that is accessible to everyone. Under California Education Code Sec. 48907, we reserve the right to publish, without prior review, material that is accurate, accountable and founded. 

As we strive to protect our First Amendment Rights, we extend this support to all student media organizations. The Hoofprint commends the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) for rescinding student media adviser Adriana Chavira’s unpaid suspension by Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) Friday, Sept. 16. Chavira, who faced an unpaid three-day suspension before its revocation, had refused to remove the name of a librarian who had left her position after resisting her district’s vaccination mandate. The librarian’s leave directly impacted the DPMHS community, prompting students to publish the public employee’s name. 

While the decision to print her name was in congruence with journalistic principles as well as the law, the disciplinary action Chavira faced had breached a clause of the California Education Code Sec. 48907: “An employee shall not be dismissed, suspended, disciplined, reassigned, transferred, or otherwise retaliated against solely for acting to protect a pupil engaged in the conduct authorized under this section, or refusing to infringe upon conduct that is protected by this section, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, or Section 2 of Article I of the California Constitution.”

Amid blatant violations of the rights of student journalists in alarmingly close proximity to us, the staff at The Hoofprint will continue to be steadfast in advocating our rights. We will and always will thoroughly and objectively investigate stories relevant to the student body. Reporting will address all views and the sensitivity of our content will be considered. Under the California Shield Law, all Publications staff retains the absolute right to protect the confidentiality of their interview sources. Therefore, we will be considerate to all interviewees and provide factual news. 

To maintain the integrity of our organization, all online and print articles, names, dates, etc. will be fact-checked, and all interviewed quotes will be documented through official transcripts, messages or voice recordings. The staff at The Hoofprint assumes responsibility over all inaccuracies and will issue formal apologies and retractions to correct factual errors, misquotes, attributions or wrong photos. The updated information and a note indicating revision(s) will be posted. 

We strive, as a hybrid publication, to release print news every six weeks and update our online news (whshoofprint.com) and social media platforms weekly. We acknowledge that the print, online and social media of The Hoofprint are subject to the protections of the First Amendment, California Education Code 48907 and the California Shield Law.

Students are welcome to participate and share their feedback with us through student-produced articles, editorial cartoons and letters to the editors. Therefore, with the aforementioned, we at The Hoofprint will endeavor to uphold the integrity and transparency of this public forum.