1. Mission & Purpose
SchoolTimesNews.com is committed to delivering clear, accurate, and responsible news, analysis, and commentary. Our aim is to inform and engage our readers — including students, parents, educators, and other stakeholders — about education, school-related developments, and broader social issues tied to teaching and learning. Our content includes: news reports, feature articles, opinion pieces, interviews, and explanatory journalism.
2. Editorial Independence & Integrity
- We maintain full editorial independence. No advertiser, sponsor, political group, or external entity may influence the coverage, tone or placement of our content.
- All editorial decisions — from what to cover, to how to report — rest solely with our editorial team.
- Contributors, including freelance writers or guest authors, must declare any conflicts of interest; if a conflict exists, it must be disclosed, and the contributor may recuse themselves from coverage.
3. Accuracy, Verification & Sourcing
- Every fact, quotation, statistic, and claim must be verified using credible and reliable sources.
- When possible, we rely on primary sources (official documents, interviews, direct data); when using secondary sources, we ensure proper attribution and context.
- Claims that could significantly impact individuals or institutions must be corroborated before publication.
- Anonymous sources may be used only in exceptional circumstances — and only when there is a clear, justifiable public interest. In such cases, anonymity must be explicitly justified.
4. Fairness, Balance & Impartiality
- Our reporting aims to be fair and balanced. We strive to represent relevant viewpoints when covering controversies, and whenever appropriate, offer individuals or institutions under criticism a right of reply.
- Opinion, analysis, and commentary pieces are distinctly labeled as such — clearly separated from news reporting.
- We avoid sensationalism, exaggerated claims, or misleading headlines; headlines must accurately reflect the substance of the article.
5. Respect, Ethics & Privacy
- We respect the dignity, rights, and privacy of all individuals. We avoid publishing unnecessary personal details about private individuals — especially minors — unless there is overriding public interest and consent is secured.
- We will not publish content that discriminates against any individual or group based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or social status.
- In sensitive situations (e.g. crime, health, education disputes), we deal with discretion, verify facts thoroughly, and avoid harmful or defamatory language.
6. Corrections, Clarifications & Accountability
- If an error is discovered — factual, contextual or typographical — we commit to issuing a clear, prompt correction or clarification. For significant errors affecting understanding or public perception, a visible correction note will be added to the article, with a date stamp.
- When necessary, we may retract or remove content — but only with proper editorial review and explanation.
- We encourage readers to report possible errors or omissions via our contact form / editorial contact email; we treat such feedback respectfully and responsibly.
7. Transparency & Attribution
- All published stories should clearly attribute sources (names, titles, organizations) where applicable.
- When using external material (e.g. quotes from other media, data, public documents), proper credit must be given, and — when possible — links provided.
- Sponsored content, advertisements or affiliate content (if any) will be clearly identified as such; editorial content remains strictly separate from commercial/promotional content.
8. Contributor & Staff Responsibilities
- Everyone who writes, edits, or publishes for SchoolTimesNews.com — including full-time staff, part-time contributors, and freelancers — must comply with this editorial policy.
- Editors are responsible for approving content before publication, verifying compliance with all standards, and ensuring consistency in tone, style and ethics.
- For sensitive or potentially contentious topics (legal issues, allegations, privacy concerns), senior editors may require additional verification and review.
9. Content Types & Labeling
We distinguish between different content types — and use clear labels:
- News / Reportage: factual reporting, news about events, developments, data — subject to verification and neutrality.
- Opinion / Commentary / Analysis: viewpoints, interpretations, commentary; these must be explicitly labeled as opinion pieces.
- Features / Interviews / Profiles: longer-form journalism or human-interest stories — held to the same standards of accuracy, fairness, and sourcing as news.
- Corrections & Clarifications: when published, such updates will be clearly indicated and dated.
10. Social Media & Third-party Platforms
- When sharing our content on social media or third-party platforms, we preserve the integrity of the original article (no misleading excerpts or out-of-context quotes).
- If a correction or retraction is issued after an article has been shared, we ensure the update is reflected on all platforms where the original content appeared.
- Staff (or contributors) representing SchoolTimesNews.com on social media must maintain professional conduct, avoid personal biases, and disclose affiliations or conflicts when relevant.
11. Copyright, DMCA & Use of Content
- All original content on SchoolTimesNews.com — text, images, multimedia — is protected under our copyright. Unauthorized reproduction or reuse is prohibited unless explicitly permitted.
- Requests for content reuse or syndication must be addressed via our contact email; we may grant permission or negotiate licensing.
- Where third-party content (e.g. photos, data, reports) is used under license or fair-use, we provide clear attribution and respect licensing terms.
12. Privacy & Data Protection
- We respect user privacy. Personal data collected through user interactions (comments, newsletters, contact forms) will be handled responsibly, stored securely, and used only for stated purposes.
- We will not share or disclose personal data to third-parties without the user’s consent (unless required by law).
- Any external tools (e.g. analytics, cookies) used on our website will be disclosed in a separate Privacy Policy page.
13. Review & Updates to This Policy
This Editorial Policy is a living document. We will periodically review and update it to reflect new challenges, changing media landscapes, legal requirements or best-practice standards. Major updates will be announced to our readers.
14. Contact / Feedback / Corrections
If you have questions about our editorial standards, wish to report an error, or submit feedback — please contact our editorial team at: [insert your contact email here].
Why This Matters — What We Gain
- An explicit editorial policy builds credibility and trust: readers know what standards we follow.
- It clarifies accountability and responsibility within the team (who does what, who reviews what).
- It protects the website from liability — legal, ethical or reputational — by setting standards for sourcing, privacy, corrections, and conflict-of-interest.
- It ensures consistency and fairness across all content — news, opinion, features — regardless of who writes or edits.