As an independent satirical voice of Lake Stevens High School, The Náströnd operates under a unique mandate: we tell lies to tell the truth. However, satire is a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. To ensure our humor remains sharp, smart, and (mostly) lawsuit-free, every member of our staff adheres to the following ethical guidelines.

Independence & Accountability

The Náströnd is an independent, student-run publication. We are not funded, reviewed, or censored by the Lake Stevens School District.

We speak about the school, not for the school.

We strictly avoid using official school seals or letterheads in a way that constitutes impersonation.

We own our words.

Being independent means we don't have a teacher to blame if things go wrong. We take full responsibility for our content

Punch Up, Not Down

This is the most important rule of satire.

Target Power, Not Vulnerability.

It is funny to mock authority figures, bureaucratic nonsense, and the concept of "mandatory fun." It is not funny to mock marginalized groups, victims of tragedy, or students who lack social power.

The Litmus Test.

If the target of your joke can punish you (e.g., Admin, School Board), you are punching up. If you can bully the target (e.g., random sophomore), you are punching down.

Libel & The "Reasonable Person" Standard

We operate under the legal protection of parody. However, to stay protected, we must ensure our content cannot be mistaken for factual news.

The Absurdity Defense

Our stories must be exaggerated to the point that "no reasonable person" would believe they are factual.

Bad (Libelous): "Principal Ivelia embezzled funds." (Too realistic; damaging).

Good (Satire): "Principal Ivelia admits the new stadium was funded by selling the souls of underclassmen." (Obviously fake).

Public vs. Private Figures

School administrators are public figures; their official actions are fair game for commentary. Individual students are private citizens; we do not use their real names without express permission.

Zero Tolerance for Hate Speech

Satire is never an excuse for bigotry. We do not publish content that promotes racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or religious intolerance. "It's just a joke" is not a valid excuse for hate speech.

The "Kernel of Truth"

Good satire is grounded in reality. We do not simply make things up for the sake of randomness. Our articles should reflect a shared experience or frustration within the LSHS community.

Privacy & Harm

Good satire should respect the privacy & safety of the people.

No specific targeting

We do not write "hit pieces" on specific students. We satirize behaviors, trends, and policies.

Safety First

We do not joke about threats of violence, self-harm, or genuine emergencies. If the fire alarm goes off (and there's an actual fire), we leave the building; we don't interview the fire for a quote.

Corrections & Retractions

We are human (and high schoolers). We make mistakes.

If an article is found to violate this Code of Ethics after publication, it will be retracted immediately.

We believe in accountability. If we cross the line from "funny" to "harmful," we will apologize; sincerely, not satirically.