Sarah Alaoui
02-04-2008, 10:20 PM
As a high school journalist, it can be frustrating at times to get one's opinion across without wandering into dangerous territory. Quite frankly, it can get annoying...trying to write a coherent article while making sure you don't offend all the white, brown, purple, green, black, and yellow people out there. High school is supposed to prepare us for college [for some people who are already taking college courses in high school, it is preparing us for life], where we will constantly be bombarded by others' convictions without the shield of high school journalism advisors to protect us from the oncoming arrows of offensive opinions. Life isn't pretty...so why shield us now?
I guess my question is...how do you know where to draw the line in high school journalism? Just how much are you supposed to 'protect' an audience of 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18-year-olds from? Exactly how offensive is a quirky article on abortion? How about one that details the facts of an ongoing struggle from the side that never gets coverage? I'd just like to know when we can stop hiding behind the pathetic excuse that "it's a sensitive issue" and when we can finally toughen up and learn to talk[write] about the real issues. Maybe when we learn to talk about things, THEY will too [the "big people" up there in the White House, UN, Palestine/Israel, etc...].
Thank you :)
Sincerely,
Sarah Alaoui
I guess my question is...how do you know where to draw the line in high school journalism? Just how much are you supposed to 'protect' an audience of 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18-year-olds from? Exactly how offensive is a quirky article on abortion? How about one that details the facts of an ongoing struggle from the side that never gets coverage? I'd just like to know when we can stop hiding behind the pathetic excuse that "it's a sensitive issue" and when we can finally toughen up and learn to talk[write] about the real issues. Maybe when we learn to talk about things, THEY will too [the "big people" up there in the White House, UN, Palestine/Israel, etc...].
Thank you :)
Sincerely,
Sarah Alaoui