Editorial Policy
Manestream News, The Lion Yearbook and MHS1 are student-planned and produced publications and productions by students on the yearbook, broadcast and online news staffs of McKinney High School.
The website is published as the official student news voice for McKinney High School and surrounding commu
nity and is an open form for student expression. Opinion pieces published on the site will be labeled as such and do not necessarily represent the opinion of McKinney High School staff, administration or the journalism adviser.
The Lion Yearbook is published once a year as the permanent record of McKinney High School for the students, faculty and surrounding community of McKinney. The publication serves as a record/history book, memory book, business venture and classroom laboratory which strives to capture the lives and experiences of students and faculty throughout the year.
MHS1 is the official student news broadcast of McKinney High School. The staff will publish one episode every two weeks. Schedule is subject to change as result of events beyond control of the staff such as weather, testing and other unplanned school events. MHS1 is an open forum for student expression. Opinion pieces will be labeled as such and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of McKinney High School staff, administration or the journalism adviser.
CONTENT
• The student editorial board and staff determine the content published on the website, in the yearbook and on the broadcast.
• The journalism staffs seek to serve their audience with accurate and factual reporting on significant aspects of school life and subjects of concern to its readers and viewers.
• As independent observers, journalism staffers use their unique access to news and broad perspectives through clever, creative approaches to writing, photography, design, video storytelling and coverage of the human spirit.
• It is also the responsibility of journalism staffs to cover school, city, state, national and international events and issues that affect or concern the campus, its students or its readers in a non biased method.
• The journalism staffs will attempt to cover all aspects of the school; however, coverage will depend greatly upon an item’s news value (how important or interesting it would be to the majority of the school population). Editors and producers determine the news value of all material.
• The journalism staffs will avoid sensationalizing news and events.
• The journalism staff will not invade personal privacy or print material that might be embarrassing or degrading to any individual or group.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCURACY AND OBJECTIVITY
• School publications and broadcasts strive for the highest standards of accuracy, integrity, completeness and careful research in their presentation of material that time allows. Since there are deadlines to meet, however, school publications will go to press or broadcast with the facts as they stand on deadline. The staff therefore assumes responsibility for the accuracy of these facts.
• Rumor, gossip or innuendos are not, nor will they ever be, the basis for any story appearing in the yearbook.
• All journalism staffs are members of the ATPI, UIL-ILPC, TAJE, NSPA, CSPA, Quill and Scroll Honorary Society, and JEA professional organizations and receive critiques from some of these sources.
• Because the publication is created by students, for students, prior review by outside sources should be avoided and the staff will take precautions to report all stories fairly, fully and responsibly; however, administrators may, according the Hazelwood court decision, control content prior to publication if they deem specific content to pose a legitimate pedagogical concern. Administration may also offer advice on sensitive issues.
• Photos and articles submitted from outside sources may be used in publication or production at the discretion of the editorial board.
CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
• T he activities (on and off campus) of curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular clubs and organizations approved by the campus with a faculty adviser, sponsor, coach, etc. may be covered in the website, yearbook and broadcast.
• In addition, curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular clubs and organizations approved by the campus with a faculty adviser, sponsor, coach, etc. are permitted to have a group photo in the reference section of the yearbook.
SPORTS
• As the official record of the school year, team photos, scores and season records will be printed in the reference section of the yearbook for all school-sponsored sports.
• Sporting events will be broadcast live in accordance with the MISD athletic department and UIL policies.
• The journalism department will make every effort to cover each UIL sport on the website or broadcast at least once per school year.
NAMES
• The names listed in eSchool are printed in the yearbook.
• If another name is preferred, written permission from a parent or guardian and approval from a school principal may be submitted prior to the retake picture day in the fall.
SCHOOL YEARBOOK PHOTOS
• School photos must be taken by the contracted portrait studio on picture day or picture retake day at McKinney High School to be included in the yearbook.
• Each student’s official grade classification the first day of school is used to determine portrait placement. A grade level change after the start of school may not be reflected in the portraits.
• Seniors are required to wear selected tux or drape (student’s choice) in the yearbook portrait.
• The staff reserves the right to exclude any photo it considers inappropriate.
• Students who miss the assigned photo week and retake opportunity will not be included in the portrait section, although they may still be covered in other aspects of the yearbook.
TRAGEDY
• Should a student or school personnel pass away prior to yearbook printing deadlines, the staff will treat the death journalistically and in a tasteful manner.
• The individual’s school activities, his or her contributions and the reactions of those who will miss the deceased may be included in journalistic reporting on the website, yearbook or broadcast.
• In the case of a suicide or other sensitive situation, the words “died unexpectedly” may be used as a cause of death.
• An in memoriam tribute will be designed and produced by the yearbook staff as space is available that will include the individual’s name, date of birth, date of death and a school photograph.
ADVERTISING
• The journalism staffs reserve the right to refuse any advertisement that makes reference to products, services, substances or paraphernalia that are illegal to minors or deemed inappropriate to the community.
• No obscene gestures, weapons, nudity at any age are allowed in photos or artwork submitted.
• Because of copyright restrictions, song lyrics, poetry and other published materials may not be used.
• All ads are subject to review by the adviser and editorial board.
• The staff reserves the right to assign rates for its ad space.
• The Lion Yearbook staff, its adviser, editors and the administration of McKinney High School are not liable, beyond the cost of the ad, for mistakes made within its design, editing or production. In addition, refunds cannot be given for ads, nor can ads be changed once the buyer approves proofs and the pages are sent to print.
AFTER PUBLICATION ERRORS
• The Lion Yearbook is produced by students and may have errors, however, refunds will not be given for misspelled names or other editing errors.
• Exchanges can be made in room F117 for books with major printing flaws such as missing or damaged pages.
• If a major flaw is found after the book has been written in, the book may be replaced in exchange for the damaged book.
• Errors on Manestream News and MHS1 will be corrected as quickly as possible and corrections will be labeled on the website.
DISTRIBUTION
• All buyers must present a photo ID when picking up a yearbook. It is responsibility of the buyer to provide proof of purchase if the yearbook staff has no record of the sale.
• Returned books become sole property of the yearbook staff and can be resold if not damaged.
• A lost or stolen book may be replaced for the cost of the book at delivery time on a first come, first serve basis.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS
• Students, staff and members of the community may submit letters to the editor.
• Letters must be signed and submitted to the editorial board via email to [email protected].
• Copy journalism adviser Curtis Christian at [email protected]
In summary, staffs of Manestream News, The Lion Yearbook and MHS1 will strive for journalistic excellence and will aim to be a vital part of the McKinney High School community.
Contact the editorial board at [email protected] for inquiries, news tips or any questions or concerns about board policy.