Former Viking Saga newspaper staff members Marcus Pennell, left, and Emma Smith display a pride flag outside of Northwest High School in Grand Island, Neb. GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Administrators at a Nebraska school shuttered the school’s award-winning student newspaper just days after its last edition that included articles and editorials on LGBTQ issues, leading press freedom advocates to call the move an act of censorship.
Emma Smith, Saga’s assistant editor in 2022, said the student paper was informed that the ban on preferred names was made by the school board. That decision directly affected Saga staff writer Marcus Pennell, a transgender student, who saw his byline changed against his wishes to his birth name of “Meghan” Pennell in the June issue.
Some school board members have made no secret of their objection to the Saga’s LGBTQ content, including board President Dan Leiser, who said “most people were upset” with it.
Gop indoctrination! They are anti freedom, anti free speech, anti choice, anti marriage. No wonder they attack schools and need to rig maps. they are old out touch control freaks that can’t stand people being different from them. Youth will finally stand up against this tyranny
Lol