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 theAssignment: 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.
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.
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
Bettina Tan
ReplyDeleteI think the value of journalism is about telling a true story. It's also all about having some sort of news to tell the readers.
The importance of journalism is the life skills it teaches.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I do not understand what the article is saying. Erinn Kuehne, a fellow journalist, informed me that this article talks about how "blogging has become such a fad that people tend to incorporate that into their journalistic styles." I really don't know what it means. Someone care to explain to me?
ReplyDeleteNow that students are more involved with online activities journalistic fundamentals are more important. If students don't receive this protocol then they could inadvertently insult a person. Without journalism students can't get enough perspective that is needed in blogging and other activities.
ReplyDeleteJournalism is an essential to life now-a-days especially for teen, since everyone has a computer and either uses blogging sites or other sites similar. These are skills everyone should use and learn, but people are using it the wrong and inappropriate manner.. I think that's what this article means?
ReplyDeleteJournalism is definitely an important skill to have in the 21st century. It is crucial for students to learn about ethics and responsibility when it comes to publishing because of the growing number of people on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. Unverified rumors and gossip can also hurt someone, and can never be erased.
ReplyDeleteMelissa DeCastro
ReplyDelete"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." I agree with this because everyone that publishes their stuff would do it with correct grammar and such. Also, I think it's important to
Journalism is extremely important to teach students morals and responsibility. It encourages students to publish things responsibly whether it be on facebook, or a newspaper. In this digital world, it is very essential that students understand the seriousness of publishing things.
ReplyDeleteA Journalism class is a class that is much needed. This is the one way that students can develop the proper ways to inform their peers. This includes exposing the truth without being biased and making sure that one does not tarnish another person's reputation.
ReplyDelete-Simaran Bhatia
Redo: I think the most important thing about journ is learning honesty. It's about getting the real story and not just making up something to get by.
ReplyDeleteI think Journalism is very important. It is a life skill and schools should be thanking, not firing, their journalism teachers. One of the most important things journalism has taught me, is to find all the facts and write an article without my opinions. This way of thinking should not be put down.
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ReplyDeleteJournalism is valuable for bloggers and forum users. Intelligent blogs sometimes create life time opportunities and intellectual forum posts keep the flamers going. Journalism is not necessarily for life, but for internet users.
ReplyDeleteJournalism's main idea is to report the truth. I agree with Frank LoMonte. Journalism is basically the voice of the public. It is really important for the community to "differentiate between fact and rumor" and to express their experiences and thoughts regarding to certain incident. Through news media, students can also "take responsibility for...their words, respect opposing points of view, and weigh the legal and ethical considerations..."
ReplyDeleteI think the importance of journalism is that you learn the truth behind stuff and not what someone else said. It also allows students the to learn how to inform there fellow peers properly, with out being biased.
ReplyDeleteAs Beilul said, it is the 21st century and technology is advancing everyday. The number of people going on social networking sites increases by the day, which also means content posted may be biased or rumored. Being a journalist/having a journalism classroom allows writers to have a mindset that questions things read, which causes them to investigate and get the full story without being biased towards one side.
ReplyDeleteI value the work experience and discipline of jounralism classes and the constant ideas that are thought of and expressed. Journalism is crucial to helping the public critize society, and an instigator for change. However, maybe the quote should be how journalism will be more technology driven and based.
ReplyDeleteI like Journalism. Point blank, without Journalism I would be a different student. Journalism has taught me how to write without "you," how to responsibly meet deadlines, the importance of credibility and truth, and instilled in me a sense of duty to report the truth and say what is on my mind. It has taught me to take initiative, speak to strangers (sometimes adults with positions) and other things that I would never have the confidence to do.
ReplyDeleteJournalism may sometimes be a pain where the sun don't shine, but at the end of the day, telling the public what it needs to know, not what it wants to hear, makes one feel good. With great power comes great responsibility, and if revealing certain truths means dealing with issues and controversies.. then bring it on.
The most important aspect of Journalism is communication. The people have the right to know what's going on in their own community. It's not right for journalism teachers to be removed because of their own civic duty.
ReplyDeleteJournalism is important in it helps students differentiate a rumor from a fact; to know when someone is stretching the truth and when someone is telling the whole truth.
ReplyDeleteJournalism is a very important part of my life. It has taught me how to voice my opinions, express my ideas through writing and has given me the courage to create questions and find information.
ReplyDeleteIt is a course that every student should be able to experience.
I did bad journalism recently. I conducted an interview with a student who was joking about doing inappropriate things that could possibly get him into trouble and my school for publishing it. I should have censored some of the interview by not adding it and it was stupid of me to include it. My journalism teacher commented on how it could lead to legal trouble and she's right, I was wrong to type before thinking. If i don't learn proper to "weigh the legal and ethical considerations
ReplyDeletebefore damaging a person's reputation" I would fail as a journalist.
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ReplyDeleteEnrolling in a journalism class benefits one in multiple ways. First, although journalistic writing has a different approach than english essay writing, students are able to build their writing skills, expand their creativity, and practice their style. Journalism also enables one to work with unfamiliar and familiar people of all ages which improves their public speaking and reporting abilities. In addition, being able to document (what a student once stated) "the rough draft of history" in unbelievably a valuable experience.
ReplyDeleteI don't know exactly how many schools take journalism as seriously as Hercules High School, and probably even Middle School do. But I take pride in our journalism program, in our award winning newspaper.
ReplyDeleteJournalism has made and is making my high school experience much better. I've learned to take responsibility, communicate with people, and most importantly, gain leadership skills.
I agree that journalism teaches "ethics, responsibility, accuracy and fairness." It brightens my day.
Several state officials in Kansas are defunding journalism programs. To step into a high school journalists shoes, he or she may think these people are uneducated and unaware of the vital importance of what journalism offers to an indiviudal. To say it is not a marketable career may be true--according to the department of U.S Bureau of labor statistics--but as Jerry Ceppos said, "ethics, responsibility, accuracy and fairness...are essential life skills for membership in a civilized society." Journalism, in high school, explicitly teaches these values and assures oneself the mental knowledge needed in the adult world: to criticize effectively and take both sides of an argument fairly and wisely, such as when a land owner might take away one's home, one must be able to cope with this situation. Also, to be a responsible voter or to be an activist in politics as an adult, one must learn to ratinoalize and accept differing arguments. Jorunalism serves as a program to teach basic values of law and to interpret information responsibly. Basically, defunding such a program would be hypocritical. Since high school is the preparation for the adult world and all its conflicts, removing journalism would deny oneself that opportunity to learn this acknowledged ability.
ReplyDeleteBefore journalism, I was the prime example of a lost soul, hopeless in whatever future endeavors I needed to accomplish...
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, this is a little exaggerated. However, I do feel there are great benefits that one can possess through journalism. When I first joined the class in my sophomore year of high school, I came to the realization that journalism is a significant aspect of life. Without it, I would not be as up-to-date with current events, nor understand the value of writing. I also feel that taking this class has allowed me to learn leadership skills needed to produce a student-run newspaper.
Journalism is underrated. Journalists put more time and effort into getting their facts straight, editing and re-editing, properly attributing sources and quotes, making sure all the important bases of information are covered and ensuring their writing is as readable and as interesting as can possibly be than people put into reading their stories, if they even read them. ..that sentence was really messy but basically being a journalist and writing an article for publication demands effort that hardly anyone recognizes, and yet the slightest slip-up instantly results in the loss of credibility and respect for the writer or publication. Journalism does, indeed teach these qualities that Lamonte praises, and many people don't recognize this, but, even worse, they don't make the time to develop these qualities themselves .
ReplyDeleteEverybody should be in Journalism! It is one of the most vital classes in any high school students lives. It does not only expand a student's writing, but improves student's skills in reporting, advertising, and many other usefull attributes to student's. Being apart of any journalism class gives students a chance to experience hwo the real world is going to come at them. Illimating any shy, akward, or scared feelings towards stranges. Everyone needs Journalism!
ReplyDeleteThe value of journalism is definitely important. It teaches responsibility, a factor that is crucial to teens, and even adults. It also teaches us about teamwork. We learn about time management and to meet our deadlines. We learn to work together even when there's an issue. Journalism has affected me a numerous amounts of positive ways, and I think that journalism teachers should be thanked, and everyone should take the class!
ReplyDeleteJournalism is one of those heroic subjects that allow one to think for oneself, to questionn authority... to question everything really. It allows people to stop being ignorant and to freely express the ideas that they independently came up with. It also allows people to share ideas and bounce off one another. Mucho importante.
ReplyDeleteThe real danger here is that if people begin to put restrictions on nonconforming voices, we will only know parts of the truth, at best. Even though this freedom of speech and press can be deleterious particularly when reputations are ruined on false accounts, in the long run, it has also enabled people to spread the truth (like when Nixon tried his best to hush the scandal) and serves as a pivotal part of the checks and balances on any potentially harmful element like politics, business or even itself. Moreover, it is really the audience's own responsibility to identify the truths apart from the lies... and it has been since media became such a big factor in everyone's life.
ReplyDeleteJournalism teaches me how to be a student. Without exaggeration, a majority of what I learn in school I have either learned in Journalism or have been able to see clearly because of what I have learned in Journalism. The class has not only taught me time management, responsibility, communication, leadership, resourcefulness, initiative and so on, but also the values of each. Through Journalism, I developed a love for words. I developed a strength of opinion as well as a careful understanding of when to use it.
ReplyDeleteJournalism serves as a wake up call to those who need it, even if they don't want it. Take in account the innumerable copies of newspapers sold each day, visitor hits to a website article or blog, successful movements that began with a single tweet - corrupted, irresponsible or unethical as people may accuse it of being, journalism matters.
On another note, journalism programs for students are important whether a student is training to be a reporter or an astronaut. The skills we take from journalism are transferrable to a good amount of anything.
Journalism has taught me a plethora of lessons. To be honest, Journalism was like the "extra" or "bonus" to my high school career.
ReplyDeleteJournalism has helped me to be a more direct writer. Rather than continuing my "wordy-ness" habit, I learned the importance of style and structure (active voice > passive voice, shorter sentences = concise, and organization = effective). In addition, I learned that the basic 5 W's and H were the keys to quality articles and that embedding opinions in factual statements were quite tricky to avoid.
Journalism has definitely improved my writing skills, but it has also helped me become a more social and informed individual, especially through interviews and social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook.
I used to not care much for what went on outside of my daily life, nor did I have a large interest in writing. However, journalism has definitely proven to be of great value to my life. It has taught me the importance of leadership, communication, and responsibility, and I am confident that I can use these skills for the rest of my life.
Journalism teaches us all to understand how to write and how to communicate our ideas to others. It helps people understand the world around them and challenges us to better ourselves with the next article, event, or spread. It teaches not only English skills - it teaches life skills.
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