About The Panther’s Prey

Mission Statement
The Panther’s Prey, Bartlett High School’s student online newspaper, is dedicated to serving as an open forum for students, faculty, and staff. It is our goal and desire to present and investigate the most relevant and pertinent topics/issues pertaining to the livelihood of our school community as well as to the interests of our readers and reporters. Although the dissemination of information to our readers is one of our top priorities, so too are the maintenance of journalistic integrity and standards.

The high school press is governed by the same basic legal rights and responsibilities as the professional press. High school journalists have the right guaranteed in the First Amendment to free expression, insofar as published items may not contain libel or obscenity, invade the privacy of individuals, incite or violate the laws of copyright, or violate community standards of appropriateness.

With the right to freedom of expression comes an obligation to the highest ideals of the journalistic profession. These include responsibility, independence, sincerity, truthfulness, accuracy, impartiality and decency. Good taste should be exercised in all content.

Editorial Policy
The purpose of the newspaper is to factually inform and entertain its readers. As an established open forum for the student body, truth will be the staff’s major goal.

It is the responsibility of each staffer to adhere to the Journalism Code of Ethics as set by the Society of Professional Journalists. The code states that journalists cannot accept gifts, favors or privileges that could compromise their integrity.

All material published will stem mainly from staff-generated ideas and suggestions. In serving as an open forum for the school, The Panther’s Prey staff is also willing to listen to and consider ideas or suggestions made by students and faculty. However, The Panther’s Prey also holds the right to not investigate or run stories suggested by these outside groups, when they (the staff and adviser) see them to be in a conflict of interest with the goals and/or integrity of the newspaper or of being significantly limited in terms of newsworthiness.

The newspaper staff will determine the priority of stories and the overall design of the publication.
In accordance with community standards, profanity will not appear in this publication.

Students are free to express an opinion on matters of public interest under the “fair comment rule.” Under this rule, the student has the right to intelligently criticize the school and its policies.

Editorials reflect the opinion of The Panther’s Prey. Opinion stories reflect the opinion of the writer and do not represent the opinions of the faculty and administration of BHS.

Controversial issues will be covered from both points of view. School news, as well as any local, national or international events will also be covered.

All illustrations will be bylined. Any factual errors will be corrected.

A source will not arbitrarily be able to demand to read the reporter’s completed story and then perform editing tasks on that story. However, student reporters may choose to have sources review their stories prior to production as a means of verifying facts and quoted material.

Reporters will not, within all boundaries of the law, reveal a source who asks to remain nameless. All interviewers will respect the interviewee’s right to have information remain “off the record” if that fact is known before giving that information to the reporter.

Comments on the stories are welcomed. All comments are subject to approval by the adviser.

Advertising Policy
Ads which promote illegal products under Tennessee law, oppose any religion, are written in bad taste, include racial or sexist comments or false statements will not be accepted. The Panther’s Prey has the right to refuse any ad.

No advertising that is copyright protected, libelous, or irresponsible, or that violates school or community standards for good taste will be accepted.

All advertising accepted by the staff must meet the same guidelines as editorial content. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement by the school, the staff as a whole, or its individual members.

Ad rates are available by calling (901) 218-0204.