Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.

While the First Amendment to the Constitution goes on, my focus stops here. This addition to the laws of our country has recently caused turmoil at local colleges, and it’s also been keeping me up at night.

In early September, Seattle Central Community College cut its journalism program and put its newspaper, The City Collegian, on indefinite hold. Last year, North Seattle Community College also stopped printing its student newspaper, The Polaris. Tacoma Community College and Centralia Community College have also run into problems regarding their journalism programs.

In 2005, a nightmare for college journalists became reality when the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that school officials in Illinois could censor content of the Governors State University student newspaper, the Innovator.

Luckily, students at universities and colleges in Washington still maintain freedom of speech and press. These rights could be at risk, however, if school officials continue to cut journalism programs and push newspapers into indefinite hibernation.

Student newspapers have always been a unique niche in the journalism world, because they combine the responsibility of press freedom with the newfound recognition of the right to free speech.

Students often find their voice at a school newspaper, and many go on to nurture that voice and that desire for social contribution for the rest of their lives. Without student newspapers, that voice will be absorbed by administration, prior review and apathy.

So, I encourage the administrators at colleges and universities across Washington state to reconsider the purpose served by journalism programs and student newspapers. Although you may need to protect your reputation and that of your school, you should first be protecting the rights of your students: in this case, free speech and free press.

Students at these colleges should be exercising their right to free speech by fighting to reinstate journalism programs and reviving student newspapers. After all, protecting the First Amendment isn’t just our right; it’s our responsibility.

Reach Editor in Chief Sarah Jeglum at editor@dailyuw.com.