Oath for Student Journalists

Recommended for high school and college journalists, the FMC Oath for Student Journalists blends commitment to journalistic best practices while emphasizing the impact of working in the public conversation.

  I, (insert name), do solemnly swear to apply my full potential while serving as a student journalist at  (insert school name).

I pledge to use all my knowledge in my assignments and to actively seek advice and insight from my teachers, for they have the expertise and the experience I need to ensure my success.
I understand the freedoms of speech and of the press I enjoy are a great privilege, and with such privilege comes great responsibility. I must be accurate and fair in my reporting. I must choose my words carefully because words have the power to hurt and to heal. I promise to seek truth in my reporting and to verify my facts. I am not here to judge, but to tell other peoples’ stories to the best of my ability.
By taking this oath, I promise to uphold the highest standards of journalism, so that those who come after me may enjoy these same freedoms. I look forward to seeing my name as a byline, which announces my work to the world and lets readers know I stand by my stories as true, just and worthy of their time.
I take this oath willingly because I am proud to be a student journalist at (insert school name). 
Pledged on this day (insert date) by (signature of student).

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