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What does the editor-in-chief do for a school newspaper?

Do you think that a high school newspaper should deal with international issues?

  • I don't think so, but everyone else on the newspaper's staff thinks that our high school should stay informed about world issues. I don't think that a high school newspaper should write about stuff that you could just as easily read in the Wall Street Journal. If they do write about Iraq, Hezbollah or something like that, it's obvious that they're just reading some other new source's opinion on it, and basically rewriting it. I don't think that's real reporting. If our high school wanted to read about stuff like that, they would. It's not up to a high school newspaper to inform the students, right? I see students flip right through the world issues and go right to the more "interesting" articles. Don't you think that a high school newspaper should write about what interests the students, not what interests the writers? I don't want this newspaper to fail, and I'm afraid that it will if the students don't stay intrigued? Am I right, or am I just out of touch? Thanks for your help.

  • Answer:

    Absolutely. Our school paper does. The purpose of journalism is not to tell the readers what they want to hear, it is to inform the readers about what they do not know. Although stories about international issues is not as localized or as interesting as, say, an undercover drug investigation, but it is important for the high school student to know what is going on in the world. However, international issues affect many people, including people who go to high school. Try to interview students or teachers affected by the event, or who has strong opinions on it. Be careful to balance world news with local news, though. Carefully select the most important issues to cover, do not waste precious paper or ink on unneeded material. Yes, poorly written world news does sound like a rehash of previously written information, but a well-written piece does not. Also, it is not cheating to write factual information (and I'm assuming you mean news stories, not editorials). However, if you were talking about editorials, that is even better. Not only do controversial stories provoke people to read, it provokes them to think, to reflect on exactly what is happening, and to help them form their own opinion. The difference between reading the school newspaper for world news and picking up the Wall Street Journal is that students are often more likely to listen to their peers. Good luck!

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Compromise -- print opinions of world affairs in the editorial section. That's what most news stories are anyway. And No, you are not out of touch. A good writer knows what his readerships wants.

John16

Only if we want our children to grow up being intelligent and informed. p.s. research studies show that foreigners know more about our politics (who's the secretary of state) and geography (what's the capital of montana) than American citizens do. That should tell you something.)

sweetcece7

I think in a high school newspaper you should have a column in which you touch on world events. I don't think you should go into depth because you do not have the contacts to get actual news stories. Your high school newpaper should cover articles about teachers and staff. What your sports teams are doing. What kind of clubs you have and what activities they are involved in. Perhaps what some of your student body is doing for civic involvement. You could also cover your local political scene, like city council meetings, or an interview with the mayor. This would give all of you experience in real news gathering. Most of all enjoy yourselves as you learn and experience something most people will not.

janice h

As a 53 year old grandmother I find it refreshing that there are teens who are interested in world events. They may be rehashing what they've read in newspapers or on the net or seen on TV, but at least they are aware and involved. And they want their classmates to be equally aware and involved. In a few years you will all be old enough to vote. If you are not up to date on the issues how can you hope to vote responsibly?

celticwoman777

It takes alot of work to make international issues interesting, as you said, to students. It would impossible for any student to relate to any 'international' events. I mean where on earth would you find a kid with a parent in Iraqi? Or a Jewish, Muslim student who has problems fitting in--maybe even give you a different view of what's happening in the middle east? No student would relate to any of that, would they? If you're paper is writing stuff that could 'easily [be] read' in the WSJ, I must say you've got one heck of a student newspaper and have nothing to worry about as far as failure goes. But you're right it would just be so much easier to close your eyes to rest of the world and pretend like none of it affects you kids.

God

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