School paper suspended for publishing story on football transfers

From what I gleaned, an Arkansas high school paper published a story highlighting the suspicious nature of how five football players transfered and played at a rival school. Kids talked to the students involved, did research and published a solid story. School's supe suspended the paper despite a state law that is supposed to protect student publications from just such an action. Court rulings are not in the kids' side here but this could make for an interesting fight.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...ent-newspaper-suspended-football?ref=hpsplash

Of course the kids did it for a scholarship opportunity, so token you're costing them scholarships! post.

 

I'm wondering what the coverage has been like from the local professional newspapers. They should be all over this, the transfers and the school district's reaction.

The newspaper's teacher adviser is also in some serious trouble. I hope she has tenure because she probably made an enemy of the principal in her building and the superintendent of her district.

Here is a link to Arkansas Student Publications Act, which was passed in 1995.

Student Press Law Center | Arkansas Student Publications Act (1995)

So far, I only see blog entry on the Arkansas Time website, which mostly shares information from Buzzfeed. I tried a Google search for Har-Ber High School football and got nothing about the transfers.

 

There’s a thread about this topic that started way back in April on a state high school football forum:
Har-Ber Transfers to Springdale High

And the story calls Springdale a small town. Its school district is the largest in the state, bigger even than Little Rock.

 

I'd be a lot more pro-student here if they weren't writing about kids transferring away from their school to a rival. Did the article in question take a look at the policy in general or how their own house had handled transfers?

 

Don't know the situation in Arkansas, but I hope the teachers union will raise holy hell about the firing threat.

 

So, let me get this straight:

1. Four players transfer AWAY from Har-Ber to alleged football factory Springdale?

2. Transfer irregularities are suspected. Student journalists from Har-Ber investigate and find some evidence to support the suspicions.

3. School officials at Har-Ber come down hard on student journalists and faculty advisor.

So the school officials are running a coverup to promote the idea that football players should transfer away from Har-Ber?

 

I think the Har-Ber principal might have signed off on the transfers when he should not have. Why? Probably school politics at its finest.

 

The superintendent did this not necessarily the school. The two high schools in question are in the same district.

 

I'm not sure what they've done since, but at one time Springdale was one of Arkansas' major football powers. It's where Gus Malzahn was the head coach before he became the offensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2005 and began his quick rise to prominence in the SEC.

 

That was my thinking as well. According to the message board Twirling linked, there is some history of players transferring among the two schools, often to join the stronger program. Of course, I get that the posts on the message board are far from a trustworthy source, but that would make a little more sense.

Also, I believe it was five players, not four. (Starman had it as four.)

 

Ah, ok. So the superintendent wants all the football players to transfer to Vince Lombardi High and everybody to shut up about it.

 

Perhaps Arkansas has looser transfer rules. I have no idea, but wouldn't be shocked. But in Texas, the AD of the team losing the player has to fill out a PAP (Previous Athletic Participation) form and has to indicate the student is not transferring for athletic purposes. If he is marked as thus, then the district executive committee (basically the supes) has to vote to accept the transfer. If they decline, it goes to Austin from there.