Comments on: Principal plans to review school newspaper

By: Liz Piekarczyk

Liz Piekarczyk — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:37:14 +0000

As a former journalist (and yes, I was an editor on my high school newspaper), I am all in favor of freedom of speech.
However, I have to say that in my opinion, this newspaper is not really a newspaper. My high school newspaper supported itself through advertising. If the students want to have their forum unsupervised, then they should pay for the publication. To me, it’s like when my 19-year-old son wants to go somewhere that I don’t want him to go. He’s 19, and he has the right to go anywhere he wants to that’s legally open to him. He does not, however, have the right to use my car to get there. Why should Mount Si pay for the publication of anything that it has no control over? In the real world, newspapers pay their own publication costs or they go bankrupt.

By: Alex Eisenberg

Alex Eisenberg — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:27:39 +0000

The school has an agenda: They want to focus to be on learning. Interestingly enough, they take the real-life learning experiences and try to keep them out of the school, and even out of the valley. So in reality, the school doesn’t care about actual education. They care about their reputation in the valley, in the state of Washington, in the nation. Hence pushing the WASL so hard. Having taken the test and been surrounded by other students who have taken it, I know that the students don’t gain anything from this absurd graduation requirement. But it is a simple matter of control. Same with this censorship. Words are so powerful and that is why people are afraid of them. The administration is so afraid that eventually someone will reveal the truth which is that all they care about is their own authority, their own power (and that the school system they run slightly resembles totalitarianism.)

By: Concerned

Concerned — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:18:55 +0000

It should also be known that Mr. Taylor is breaching the rights of students and parents involved in this matter. When the parents of one of the editors wrote to Mr. Taylor asking him to please stop taking the student out of class to talk about this issue and to schedule meetings either before or after school, Mr. Taylor went and complained about it to the other student co-editor! Mr. Taylor actually had the nerve to talk to a student about what the parents of the other editor were asking of him. By breaching this trust of confidentiality, Mr. Taylor is showing just what his attitude is on the subject. He obviously doesn’t care about the student rights or the parents rights!

Perhaps the Sno-Valley Star should investigate that matter?

By: John Bowen

John Bowen — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:53:11 +0000

If the principal says if the students follow high standards of journalism they have no fear of restriction, then why have prior review?

There is no legitimate educational value for prior review and it serves no educational mission of the school.

Instead, it only seems logical and educationally effective for students and administrators to practice journalistic standards that enhance accuracy, thoroughness and completeness. Such standards are best developed in a forum atmosphere where students learn civic engagement and responsibility from their decisions.

In a forum atmosphere there is discussion and give and take of ideas.

In a prior review there is only take. No learning. No critical thinking. No applying what is taught in classes.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:34:54 +0000

Randy Taylor’s need for an ability to censor and excercise an executive power over Cat Tales is reflective of a more fundemental problem in Mount Si’s administration.

As an alumni who worked with the administration, I can tell you this man’s philosophy towards students is one of “I know what’s best.” He in general does not trust students to make the right decisions, and doesn’t place any value in allowing students to make a mistake that they can then learn from.

By bringing up his stance on this issue, he demonstrates is lack of trust in both his own students and in his own staff, chiefly the newspaper advisor.

At Mt. Si, controversial issues have not emanated from the student newspaper, rather they have appeared in there as a symptom of a greater, schoolwide problem with attitude. There is a lack of respect from the administration for the students, which is in turn reciprocated by the student body. This disharmony results in a school that is all too prone to blowing up over otherwise minor issues.

Overall, this newspaper controversy is symptomatic of a larger issue present in the attitude of the administration. To the administration, I beg you to ask yourself towards what goals do your policies and decisions go towards. Do you have in mind the best interests for yourself, or the well being of your students?

By: Austin Smith

Austin Smith — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:13:49 +0000

I support student press freedoms. I think that Mr. Taylor shouldn’t enforce the policy if it’s never been enforced before. It’s like Julie said “We’re afraid, once we have graduated and new editors come in understanding this policy, it will become a newsletter and not a newspaper.” The school already sends out a newsletter signed by Mr. Taylor we should have a paper that doesn’t need his approval.

By: Frances Gill

Frances Gill — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:46:07 +0000

This policy is an absurd violation of the basic need for freedom of expression. No good can come from trying to stifle the voice of a newspaper that is thoroughly enjoyed and respected by the majority of the student body. Highschool is already a volatile, precarious enviroment. We are constantly under the siege of well-meaning and not so well-meaning adults. So how dare they try to impede the publication of something that serves as such an entertaining outlet for the tension that plagues any teenager! It’s impractical and dangerous: such blatant censorship is surely a slippery slope. It’s just madness!

By: Mount Si Grad 2003

Mount Si Grad 2003 — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:36:17 +0000

I don’t trust this administration. This seems like censorship to me and from what I know they haven’t done anything to warrant censorship. Why doesn’t this principal spend more time being the principal instead of the gestapo.

Let the students write what they want and if it is inappropriate you can punish them afterward. I think I saw a Tom Cruise sci-fi thriller about stopping things before they happen… The administration needs to wake up and realize that their school will mirror the “real world.” They can’t have a sterile little Disneyland that doesn’t reflect the real-life politics of the world. All this seems surreal that they would spend so much time and energy to try and have this policy. When students actually go to school board meetings and speak, then we know something is up– just like it was last year. The Snoqualmie Valley should be more of an example of civil rights– and in this case I mean Freedom of Speech. Mount Si High School is lucky enough to have an open forum which are important to foster different ideas and express differing view points. Many schools don’t have this privilege. Mount Si should foster an environment for good citizens, if anything this is causing an attitude of distrust of authority from the students.

I wonder what Mr. Taylor does during the rest of his work day when not trying to take the freedom of speech away from his students. I ask you, Mr. Taylor, if you have ever read a newspaper and if you knew that the Editor did all of the Editing.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:54:17 +0000

These new editors have just come into their own as editors, and had their chance taken away before they had the opportunity to show what kind of publication they would be putting out. Mr. Taylor should have at least let them continue on and see what the new editors would allow, seeing as how what he disapproved of was written by a student who has since graduated. I feel the rights of the “student run” newspaper are being violated. It ceases to be a student run publication when the administration decides they have to look over every last detail. As stated by Mr. LoMonte there is no way to please everyone when reporting on a controversial topic, such as the day of silence. Seeing as how it is a student run publication, but with a teacher adviser, one would think that perhaps they could trust the students to be adults when writing and anything that was not up to standard might be noticed by the adviser. If Mr. Taylor does not trust his own teacher to advise the class properly, perhaps it should no longer be a class. That in and of itself would sadden me greatly.

Mr. Taylor admit your error and allow the student paper to be published. Without interference.

By: Fern Valentine

Fern Valentine — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:22:27 +0000

It doesn’t make sense to punish this year’s students and set dangerous precedents for future students because of something a student who has already graduated said. Why didn’t Mr. Taylor talk to the student last year about language he found objectionable? Mt. Si has a proud journalistic history which has led to national awards. An open forum school newspaper is the proper place for students to voice their views. They learn critical decision making skills in an open environment. Prior review and censorship may lead to less controversary but also to less learning. Throwing out those learning opportunities because of something that wasn’t questioned when it happened makes no sense.