About Us

The Visor and its online companions, https://www.hobanvisor.news/ and http://issuu.com/thevisor, are published about 14 times during the school year as a forum for the expression of student news and opinion. The paper is distributed free of charge to all students, faculty and staff. The Visor does not carry advertising.

The Visor strives for accuracy and balance in its coverage, and publishes only legally protected speech. The Visor does not print material that is obscene or libelous, material that constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy, or material likely to be disruptive of the educational process. The Visor consults with school attorneys on matters of potential liability.

The Visor welcomes letters, either in response to its editorials and news stories or raising issues of concern to its readers. Letters must not contain errors in fact. Letters must be signed, but a name may be withheld on request of the writer for sufficient reason. When a letter is signed by more than one person, the Visor will print only the name of the principal writer, with an indication of how many other names were signed. Letters are subject to editing as to length, language and libel. The Visor e-mail address is [email protected].

The Visor does not submit to prior review by any member of the administration or board of trustees. The editor-in-chief makes decisions on the content of the paper, but may be overruled by a majority vote of the editorial board. The adviser reviews copy and advises editors and staff members but does not determine the content of the paper or act as a censor on behalf of the administration.

Unsigned opinion, labeled “staff editorial,” represents the consensus of the Visor editorial board and may be construed as the position of the paper. Signed opinion, in regular columns or appropriately labeled commentaries, represents only the opinion of the writer and not necessarily the views of the Visor. Opinions expressed in the Visor are not necessarily the opinions of Archbishop Hoban High School, its board of trustees, administration, faculty, staff or student body.

Since the invasion of a student’s privacy is not protected by the First Amendment, the Visor will ordinarily not publish stories concerning specific disciplinary matters involving particular students. Since school officials have a legal obligation to keep such matters confidential, it is difficult to cover such stories fairly. If a disciplinary policy of the school is questioned, the matter will be raised at a time when the reader is not likely to associate it with an individual infraction or its consequences.

The Visor chooses not to take a position that is inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic church on clear matters of faith or morals, but may take a position contrary to current church discipline or practice. For example the Visor will not take a position that Jesus did not rise from the dead (contrary to defined faith) or condone premarital sex (contrary to Catholic moral teaching), but may advocate that priests be allowed to marry (contrary to church discipline and practice).