What's Happening: 10.7.10

No current events quiz tomorrow. You'll be too busy planning homecoming coverage.

This is the text of a message posted by Steve O'Donoghue on the JEA listserv. Why is it here? Because it is important.

From Jerry Ceppos, Dean of the Reynolds School of Journalism at the
University of Nevada Reno:

Our friend Frank LoMonte, of the Student Press Law Center, had a pithy quote
in a USA Today story this morning about bullying. Here it is:

But there is already a highly successful program that trains young people to
differentiate between fact and rumor, verify information before they repeat
it, take responsibility for the consequences of their words, respect
opposing points of view, and weigh the legal and ethical considerations
before damaging a person's reputation. That program is called "journalism."

When everyone with Internet access is a publisher, school authorities should
be stampeding to ensure that all students are taught the journalistic
fundamentals to publish responsibly. Far too many are doing the opposite.

Journalism teachers are being driven from the classroom - fired, demoted or
transferred in retaliation for their students' uncomfortably candid
journalistic work. Administrators who value the PR illusion of a
controversy-free school over the quality of education are creating a hostile
climate that makes participation in journalism intolerable for all but the
meekest and most compliant students - just when the values conveyed by
journalism education are desperately needed.

State officials in Kansas are defunding scholastic journalism programs on
the grounds that newsgathering is not a marketable career. They are right.
Ethics, responsibility, accuracy and fairness are not résumé credentials;
they are essential life skills for membership in a civilized society, which
journalism teaches effectively.

Assignment: After reading the text above, leave a comment here. What are your thoughts on the value of a journalism class? This is due by 5 pm today.

Seniors, I expect to see you in class October 13 to work on the paper. The 9th, 10th and 11th graders will be taking the PSAT that morning.

Upcoming Events:
October 13: West County Scholastic Press Association (I just made that up, but it sounds cool) after school workshop on Student Press Rights. 4-5 pm in H105. This counts as professional development. The speaker will be Steve O'Donoghue.
October 22: Work night 4-9 pm
October 25: Professional Development requirement due. If you have not attended one of the after school workshops, you can do a NewsU course.
October 29: Quarter 1 ends