A happy ending for students at Stow High School who have resumed publication of their student newspaper after administrators attempted to censor articles in it.

Students at Stow-Munroe Falls High School have resumed publication of their school newspaper.

The paper had been on hold since a fight early this school year over what students claimed was censorship.

The students resumed publication earlier this month after discussions between the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and school administrators.

Students were protesting the principal’s decision to ban a photo of a student who killed himself.

The yearbook photo had been submitted by the late student’s parents.

Principal Susan Schur said last year that she feared the photo could trigger destructive behavior.

Mike Brickner, spokesman for the ACLU of Ohio, said Tuesday that an agreement allows for review of content and an appeals process to resolve disputes.

The Ohio Surpeme Court rightfully granted a motion to block a gag order imposed by a Henry County judge that would have prevented local media from reporting on a criminal trial.

A Henry County judge cannot enforce his order preventing journalists from promptly reporting on an involuntary manslaughter trial - at least for now.

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio applauded the decision. The organization said there was a good chance it may seek to intervene in the case as it proceeds.

“We’re all about civil liberties and constitutional rights, and we recognize that the press and the public have free speech rights under the First Amendment, but we also believe the defendants have rights under the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth amendments to receive a fair trial,” staff counsel Carrie Davis said.

“The reason it’s important to have this freedom of the press in the courtroom is all about transparency,” she said. “It’s the public’s right to know what’s happening in their government, including the courts.”

Ms. Davis said challenging the judge’s unusual gag order is important, not just for journalists, but for members of the public who may attend court proceedings and blog about what they observe.

“If it was allowed to stand, it creates this horrible precedent that anytime anyone even raises a concern about a trial or whatever proceeding, they would prohibit the press or the public for that matter from reporting on it,” she said. “It really affects a lot of us.”

A judge in rural Henry County recently ruled that newspapers could not report on a trial for fear it would taint the jury pool for a person who was going to be tried for a similar charge in the same case. Local media outlets are claiming this violates their rights to a free press.

A judge’s order in Henry County needs to be watched closely by anyone who values an open society and free press. If it is not overturned by a higher court, it will set a dangerous precedent that likely will be pursued by others in Ohio.

Common Pleas Court Judge Keith P. Muehlfeld has issued an order prohibiting the media from reporting on the trial of Jayme Schwenkmeyer, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering children. The charges involve the death of her young daughter, 13-month-old Kamryn Gerken, who somehow ingested a fatal dose of oxycodone. The prescription painkiller has become a popular and addictive drug among drug abusers.

The toddler was found dead at an apartment in Napoleon occupied by Schwenkmeyer and her former boyfriend, David E. Knepley. He faces similar charges.

The two trials have been scheduled a week apart. Judge Muehlfeld wants to make sure the public does not read or hear about the mother’s trial because the court will need to seat an impartial jury for the ex-boyfriend the very next week.

Unfortunately, officials at Stow-Munroe Falls High School have refused to back down on their censorship of the student paper.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio said lawyers for the Stow-Munroe Falls High School refuse to back down on their right to control the newspaper, which has not been published since September in protest by students.

The ACLU sent a letter threatening to sue the district if officials continue to demand pre-publication review of the newspaper, The Stohion.

The ACLU contends that officials violated the First Amendment rights of staffers at The Stohion by spiking a memorial article and photo about a classmate who committed suicide, and by demanding full editorial control over future editions.

The law firm of Ulmer and Berne sent a letter to the ACLU stating that the school has the right to censor the newspaper.

“We disagree, of course,” said ACLU staff counsel Carrie Davis. “We will now consider our next move and whether that will be court action.”

The ACLU steps in to defend the rights of student journalists at Stow-Munroe Falls High School, near Akron.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio is threatening legal action if Stow-Munroe Falls High School officials don’t stop what it calls censorship of the student newspaper.

The ACLU contends that officials violated the First Amendment rights of staffers at The Stohion by spiking a memorial article about a classmate who committed suicide and by demanding full editorial control over future editions.

A letter from the ACLU gives the district until Tuesday to respond.

Repeated calls to the district superintendent were not returned. The principal of the high school declined to comment.

Lyndsey Sager, editor-in-chief of the newspaper, said last week that school officials were particularly concerned that running a photo of the student could result in other suicides.

“We’d run pictures and stories of suicide victims before,” said Lyndsey, a 17-year-old senior from Munroe Falls. “We wanted to do it out of respect.”

The editor said the staff chose not to publish the September edition, the first of the school year, and have not published since.

Disturbing news from Stow, where officials are censoring the high school’s newspaper from reporting on the recent suicide of a classmate.

The principal of Stow-Munroe Falls High School is censoring the student newspaper to prevent the publication of an obituary and photograph of a recent student suicide victim, going against the school’s traditional practice.

It has been the school’s policy for decades to run an obituary or article and photograph of a student or faculty member who passes away. In addition to both elements, Editor-in-Chief Lindsey Sager said the suicide victim’s mother also wrote a letter to be published in the paper thanking her son’s friends, and assuring students that if they needed anything, the family would be there.

Originally Principal Susan Schure was OK with all three elements being included in The Stowhion. Then a few days before they were to go to press, Schure insisted the obituary and photograph be removed from the paper.

Schure did not wish to be quoted for the press. She felt while students may still be vulnerable, publishing the parents’ letter was an effective way to show support for the student and his family.