Student journalists blast principal's plan to review stories

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Student journalists at a northwest Washington high school are at odds with the school's new principal over a policy requiring that the students allow her to review all of the school newspaper's work before publication.

Wilson High School Principal Kimberly Martin announced to the staff of The Wilson Beacon on the first day of classes last week that the students would have to let her see advance copies of all articles destined to be published. The decision led to an online petition from students, who wrote in an editorial that they are against Martin's new policy.

After The Washington Post published a story about the decision Monday, Martin said she would consider discontinuing her prior-review policy if the Beacon's editors agreed to submit revised protocols for ensuring accountability and accuracy.