BURLINGTON, Vt. — Four Vermont high school journalists have won an award for their victory over censorship.

Last year, the Burlington High School students broke a story in their school newspaper about a school employee facing unprofessional conduct charges.

The interim principal asked the students' adviser to take it down. The article was removed but students kept up links to it on social media, saying it was censored.

Students talked to legal experts and the newspaper cited its rights under the “New Voices” law, which protects First Amendment rights of student journalists.

The Burlington Free Press reports that the students last week were awarded the “Courage in Student Journalism Award,” sponsored by the Student Press Law Center, the Center for Scholastic Journalism at Kent State University and the National Scholastic Press Association.