NC State Student Senate urges Wake County to protect student newspaper platforms

The Wake County Schools Board meeting held on April 8, 2025, addressed significant concerns regarding student journalism and data privacy. The meeting featured a statement from the NC State University Student Senate President, a Cary High School alumnus, who expressed strong opposition to the Wake County Public School System's decision to discontinue the use of S and O sites and WordPress for student newspaper publications starting June 30, 2025.

The speaker emphasized that these platforms are essential for student journalists to exercise their First Amendment rights and to ensure the public dissemination of their work. He highlighted the importance of maintaining historical archives of student publications, warning that without the renewal of WordPress, valuable records could be lost. The Student Senate urged the Wake County School Board to support alternative methods for preserving these historical records and to engage in discussions with S and O and WordPress to enhance data privacy for students and staff.

The speaker also referenced a previous resolution passed by the NC State Student Government aimed at improving student directory privacy, underscoring the need for student voices to be included in conversations about policy changes affecting their rights and responsibilities.

Following this statement, Donna Williams, a grandmother, addressed the board, thanking them for their efforts in managing a large school system. She mentioned an upcoming decision regarding a grant from the It Gets Better project, indicating that further discussions on this topic would follow.

The meeting highlighted the ongoing dialogue about the balance between student privacy and the freedom of expression, as well as the importance of preserving student journalism within the Wake County Public School System. The board's next steps regarding these issues remain to be seen as they continue to navigate the complexities of educational policy and student rights.