How to tell sensitive stories that won't get students disciplined or advisers fired

1. Dancing on theDancing on the
Edge of the CliffEdge of the Cliff
Telling Sensitive Stories ThatTelling Sensitive Stories That
Won’t Get Advisers Fired orWon’t Get Advisers Fired or
Students DisciplinedStudents Disciplined
Karl GrubaughKarl Grubaugh
Granite Bay (Calif.) High SchoolGranite Bay (Calif.) High School
The Sacramento BeeThe Sacramento Bee

2. A Rose-Colored Look at theA Rose-Colored Look at the
American High School ExperienceAmerican High School Experience
 Sensitive stuff was happeningSensitive stuff was happening
back in the day, but selectiveback in the day, but selective
memory has either eliminatedmemory has either eliminated
or changed how peopleor changed how people
remember itremember it
 This isn’t your mother’sThis isn’t your mother’s
(father’s, grandmother’s,(father’s, grandmother’s,
uncle’s) high school – it’suncle’s) high school – it’s
yours, and Do you want to setyours, and Do you want to set
the agenda on your campus?the agenda on your campus?
 Resolve to tell the importantResolve to tell the important
stories for YOUR HIGHstories for YOUR HIGH
SCHOOLSCHOOL

3. What are some stories studentsWhat are some stories students
have told in The Gazette?have told in The Gazette?
 Student attitudes aboutStudent attitudes about
homosexualityhomosexuality
 Making fake IDs for fun and profitMaking fake IDs for fun and profit
 Girls on the pillGirls on the pill
 Religion in the classroomReligion in the classroom
 Marijuana use among studentsMarijuana use among students
 RavesRaves
 Babies and other hazards of sexBabies and other hazards of sex
 Drugs at concertsDrugs at concerts
 Binge drinking, and parents whoBinge drinking, and parents who
buy alcohol for their childrenbuy alcohol for their children
 Living in a sea of white (being aLiving in a sea of white (being a
minority in a mostly whiteminority in a mostly white
community)community)
 Teenage suicide.Teenage suicide.

4. More stories that haveMore stories that have
appeared in The Gazetteappeared in The Gazette
 Abortion.Abortion.
 Voting patterns for youngVoting patterns for young
voters.voters.
 Drunk driving.Drunk driving.
 Sex education.Sex education.
 Being a teenage parent.Being a teenage parent.
 The debate over state-The debate over state-
mandated high-stakesmandated high-stakes
testingtesting
 And many, many moreAnd many, many more

5. Are you living in one of theAre you living in one of the
Sweet Seven States?Sweet Seven States?
 Yes? Congratulations. StudentsYes? Congratulations. Students
choose the content, andchoose the content, and
administrators can’t get you to stopadministrators can’t get you to stop
covering controversial topics.covering controversial topics.
 But what if they they try to anyway?But what if they they try to anyway?
– Local mediaLocal media
– www.splc.orgwww.splc.org
– Consider litigation, America’s favoriteConsider litigation, America’s favorite
participatory sportparticipatory sport
– It really needs to be a STUDENT fight,It really needs to be a STUDENT fight,
not the adviser’s fight. Your adviser cannot the adviser’s fight. Your adviser can
be your best friend, but it’s a STUDENTbe your best friend, but it’s a STUDENT
NEWSPAPER.NEWSPAPER.

6. You mean, in California theYou mean, in California the
administration can’t controladministration can’t control
content in a student newspaper?content in a student newspaper?
Why don’t I know this!Why don’t I know this!
 Your adviser doesn’t know itYour adviser doesn’t know it
 People (you know whichPeople (you know which
people) don’t want you topeople) don’t want you to
know itknow it
 You’re responsible for yourYou’re responsible for your
own lack of knowledge, andown lack of knowledge, and
you’re ignorant (but not lazy)you’re ignorant (but not lazy)
 WRITE THIS DOWN! –WRITE THIS DOWN! –
California Education CodeCalifornia Education Code
4890748907

7. WHAT ABOUT PRIVATEWHAT ABOUT PRIVATE
SCHOOLS?SCHOOLS?
 ok for national trends youok for national trends you
can localizecan localize
 Brainstorm the uniqueBrainstorm the unique
perspective yourperspective your
community has on thesecommunity has on these
issues.issues.

8. Next, it’s time to start doingNext, it’s time to start doing
some serious PLANNING!some serious PLANNING!
 This is the crux of theThis is the crux of the
matter – where is thismatter – where is this
beast headed?beast headed?
 One enormous story? Or aOne enormous story? Or a
mainbar with sidebars?mainbar with sidebars?
 Some different approachesSome different approaches
and techniques vs. theand techniques vs. the
standard news-featurestandard news-feature
approachapproach
– First personFirst person
– Q-and-AQ-and-A
– Italics to set off differentItalics to set off different
elements of the storyelements of the story

9. Another big issue when it comesAnother big issue when it comes
to planning is TIMEto planning is TIME
 Planning and preparing anPlanning and preparing an
agenda-setting package ofagenda-setting package of
stories is time consumingstories is time consuming
 Mini-deadlines work wellMini-deadlines work well
– not one deadline at the– not one deadline at the
end of the project, butend of the project, but
mini-deadlines all alongmini-deadlines all along
the waythe way
– Use mini-deadlines for allUse mini-deadlines for all
the different aspects of thethe different aspects of the
package –package –
writing/reporting, graphics,writing/reporting, graphics,
photography/ photophotography/ photo
illustration, page designillustration, page design

10. Now you have to develop yourNow you have to develop your
sources to help tell the storysources to help tell the story
 You need credible, expertYou need credible, expert
sources – administrators,sources – administrators,
counselors, etc.counselors, etc.
 You also need to go OFFYou also need to go OFF
CAMPUS – counselors,CAMPUS – counselors,
medical experts, youthmedical experts, youth
culture experts, etc.culture experts, etc.
 It goes without saying thatIt goes without saying that
these sources need to bethese sources need to be
quoted correctly and in thequoted correctly and in the
right contextright context
 The Web can be yourThe Web can be your
friendfriend

11. Try these Web sources, both toTry these Web sources, both to
find experts and for backgroundfind experts and for background
 Google.com (my currentGoogle.com (my current
favorite)favorite)
 CSNE.org (The Journalist’sCSNE.org (The Journalist’s
Toolbox)Toolbox)
 Studentpress.org (NSPAStudentpress.org (NSPA
sourcelist)sourcelist)
 Others?Others?
 Concerns with the Web:Concerns with the Web:
Facts can’t be copyrighted,Facts can’t be copyrighted,
but appropriately sourcebut appropriately source
your material, and avoidyour material, and avoid
quoting someone else’squoting someone else’s
quote (even with credit)quote (even with credit)

12. Criticisms of this approach, andCriticisms of this approach, and
how you might respondhow you might respond
 ““Everyone else has alreadyEveryone else has already
done these kinds of stories.”done these kinds of stories.”
Answer: Your stories won’t beAnswer: Your stories won’t be
redundant if you enliven themredundant if you enliven them
with fresh perspectives fromwith fresh perspectives from
fresh sources.fresh sources.
 ““We already did this last (year,We already did this last (year,
semester, issue), so why are wesemester, issue), so why are we
doing it again?” Answer:doing it again?” Answer:
Because, if you do it right, it’sBecause, if you do it right, it’s
not the same story. Look for thenot the same story. Look for the
CONTEMPORARY HOOKCONTEMPORARY HOOK
that allows you to tell the storythat allows you to tell the story
from a different perspectivefrom a different perspective
than you told it the last time.than you told it the last time.

13. Other issues you must considerOther issues you must consider
when telling trend storieswhen telling trend stories
 It’s really part of the planningIt’s really part of the planning
process, but photos, illustrations,process, but photos, illustrations,
graphics and other artwork shouldgraphics and other artwork should
be a significant part of your playbe a significant part of your play
for these stories.for these stories.
 Fast-fact boxes, lists, etc.Fast-fact boxes, lists, etc.
 Solid news photos can be hard toSolid news photos can be hard to
get – so what do you do to solveget – so what do you do to solve
this dilemma? Photo illustrationsthis dilemma? Photo illustrations
are your friendare your friend
 Be careful to label them as photoBe careful to label them as photo
illustrationsillustrations
 Let your PhotoShop wizards andLet your PhotoShop wizards and
graphic artists help you – theygraphic artists help you – they
should study the covers of theshould study the covers of the
newsweeklies (Time, Newsweek,newsweeklies (Time, Newsweek,
U.S. News and World Report)U.S. News and World Report)

14. Some sample photo illustrationsSome sample photo illustrations
we’ve done at The Gazettewe’ve done at The Gazette

15. More samplesMore samples

16. More samplesMore samples

17. More samplesMore samples

18. More samplesMore samples

19. More samplesMore samples

20. More samplesMore samples

21. More samplesMore samples

22. More samplesMore samples

23. More samplesMore samples

24. More samplesMore samples

25. More samplesMore samples

26. More samplesMore samples

32. Are there problems with thisAre there problems with this
approach? You bet.approach? You bet.
 Stories fall throughStories fall through
(Answer: Be flexible, and(Answer: Be flexible, and
have a back-up plan.)have a back-up plan.)
 Writers don’t meetWriters don’t meet
deadlines or aren’t up todeadlines or aren’t up to
the task of doing serious,the task of doing serious,
explanatory journalism.explanatory journalism.
(Answer: Don’t assign(Answer: Don’t assign
these stories to rookies,these stories to rookies,
and make sure your bestand make sure your best
people have enough timepeople have enough time
to do it right.)to do it right.)
 Sources don’t cooperate.Sources don’t cooperate.
(Get different sources.)(Get different sources.)

33. But can it/does it work? Yes!But can it/does it work? Yes!
Is it worth it? Yes!Is it worth it? Yes!
 Awards and other pleasantAwards and other pleasant
forms of flatteryforms of flattery
 Increased readershipIncreased readership
 Attention from localAttention from local
mediamedia
 Some scrambling from theSome scrambling from the
rats in the hold of the shiprats in the hold of the ship
(which can be redirected(which can be redirected
at you in the form ofat you in the form of
criticism and/or lawsuits)criticism and/or lawsuits)
 And most importantly,And most importantly,
credibility andcredibility and
R-E-S-P-E-C-TR-E-S-P-E-C-T

34. Questions?Questions?
 ??
 ??
 ??
 ??
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 ??
 ??
 ??

35. Thanks for Listening!Thanks for Listening!
Go out and do good journalism!Go out and do good journalism!
 Karl Grubaugh,Karl Grubaugh,
Gazette adviserGazette adviser
 Granite Bay High SchoolGranite Bay High School
 1 Grizzly Way1 Grizzly Way
 Granite Bay, CA 95746Granite Bay, CA 95746
 E-mail:E-mail:
kgrubaugh@ rjuhsd.uskgrubaugh@ rjuhsd.us
 916-786-8676, ext. 5832916-786-8676, ext. 5832