Small-town football hero Blue Hocker can"t make the team at his new Texas school, Nathan Hale High. "If you can"t join "em, forget "em" he says, and he joins the staff of the school newspaper instead. The Town Crier has always been a boring paper. In other words: no news. But the new staff, including Blue, becomes inspired by their enthusiastic young journalism teacher, Mr. Choate. Together they confront issues in the school such as the use of drug-sniffing dogs and the Texas No-pass, No-play rule for athletes. Student writers, photographers, editors and even gossip columnists pull together and challenge the administration and the student body with a potent, new Town Crier. Then, when the Supreme Court changes the rules for high school journalism and Mr. Choate"s job is on the line, the students face some serious questions and a hot story explodes with controversy.