LAW AND ETHICS
Part of what fuels my passion for journalism is the ability to provide coverage on potentially sensitive, controversial issues. I try to challenge myself and choose topics that question authority or bring light to delicate subjects. When covering these issues, journalistic integrity becomes vital to prevent any problems that could arise from careless, unethical reporting. When covering controversy, legal soundness and ethical actions become vital tools to protect the integrity and reliability of my publication.
ETHICAL SOURCING
Ethical sourcing is incredibly important to me and my publication. For sources to be approved, they must not be affiliated with Carlmont's journalism program. We aim to provide at least three sources from different categories (grade level, profession, political beliefs, etc.) To try to provide different viewpoints within articles. All claims made must be backed with adequate research and attributed to that research or a source. We also have strict guidelines for anonymous sourcing, and take steps to ensure the legitimacy of these sources if used.
ANONYMOUS SOURCING
Anonymous sourcing is something I am incredibly stringent about. I often try to dissuade writers from using them and have pushed back on numerous requests. However, there are times when the content of an article merits the use of an anonymous source. The past two years, I have covered content that is incredibly sensitive, personal, or damaging to a source. Because of this, using anonymous sources for these articles was the most ethical choice to make. The decisions to exclude names in the following articles were the result of lengthy discussions with numerous editors, our publication advisor, and the sources themselves.
THE CHAOS IN THE CALM
In this article, my partner and I covered the vaping of essential oils and how despite misleading information from companies and "health gurus," the trend was incredibly damaging for the health of those who partook in it. The article begins with a personal anecdote of a classmate of ours who uses the products. After speaking to our editor, the editor-in-chief of time, our advisor, and the source, we determined that the content covered warranted the exclusion of her name.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
This article describes how during COVID-19, parents were becoming detrimental to the health and education of their children due to increased involvement and constant close capacity during school shutdowns. In this article, I interviewed a classmate who talked about how stressed she was and how strained her relationship became with her parents due to their increased vigilance with her studies. While interviewing her, she was incredibly fearful that the content had the potential to further damage her relationship with her parents. After assessing how stressed she was and running it by my editor, I decided keeping her anonymous was the only way to ensure she would avoid repercussions.
EATING DISORDERS: A GROWING EPIDEMIC WITHIN THE PANDEMIC
During COVID-19, I watched the mental health of my peers plummet. Teenage worlds were turned upside down as schools shut down, facilities closed, and social activities ceased. Depressed, lonely, and fearful, many teenagers began to develop eating disorders as a coping mechanism. While it gave many a sense of control or purpose, it soon would send them spiraling. I saw many around me become greatly affected by eating disorders, and thought it would be an incredibly meaningful and important issue to cover for the community. I found a source who struggled immensely with and was eventually hospitalized for severe anorexia nervosa. She was willing to speak on the issue, but the idea of people attaching her name to her incredibly personal story was too uncomfortable. My editor and I decided to keep her anonymous due to the sensitive nature covered.
LEGAL RESEARCH
At times, I have covered topics that have included pushback on claims involving legal policies. When I choose to do so, legal research is incredibly important. Extensive research on policies and the law can protect our publication from making serious errors that could result in libel and damage our reputation. Because of the serious consequences that could ensue from sloppy research or legal errors, this aspect is incredibly important when reporting.
COVID-19 COMMUNICATION LEAVES MANY CONFUSED
This article covered COVID-19 communication policies within schools and the lack of transparency when reporting available data. I had a lot of pushback when interviewing different administrators who were unwilling to tell me any information. They constantly used HIPAA to excuse their refusal to disclose significant data about COVID-19 cases and exposures in the school district. As a result, I researched the law and found that it did not prevent disclosures of data, as students did not qualify as a covered entity. FERPA, a similar law that was more likely to justify the lack of available information, also didn't qualify, as educational institutions could disclose data if they determined there was " an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of the student or other individuals." Since COVID-19 has caused thousands of deaths throughout the country, it could reasonably be seen as a significant threat to others' safety and therefore reported. My research for this piece needed to be accurate, as I was discrediting administrators' claims, including those of my own high school. If any of my claims were false, I could've faced repercussions for my work.
TRAGEDY
In any community, tragic situations may arise. As Editor-in-Chief, it is my job to determine the appropriate type of coverage that is warranted for such situations. Ensuring that the students and community members affected feel the coverage of tragedies is done in a legitimate but respectful manner is of utmost importance.
BREAKING NEWS: CARLMONT SENIOR PASSES AWAY AFTER ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE
This article was published shortly after the death of a Carlmont High School Student. A student came to me wondering if we would do coverage on the topic, and if so, how to proceed. Our publication contacted the student's family to see if they were okay with coverage of the tragedy. The family had asked for privacy and space, but had given us permission to cover the event with the name of the student. Because of this, and the profound emotional impact it had on those close to the student, we decided to do a straightforward piece that simply informed the community of what happened. No quotes, pictures, perspectives, or ties to other themes were used except for a brief family statement given in an email sent out to the school.
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