Dancing on the Dancing on the Edge of the CliffEdge of the Cliff

Telling Sensitive Stories That Telling Sensitive Stories That Won’t Get Advisers Fired or Won’t Get Advisers Fired or

Students DisciplinedStudents DisciplinedKarl GrubaughKarl Grubaugh

Granite Bay (Calif.) High SchoolGranite Bay (Calif.) High SchoolThe Sacramento BeeThe Sacramento Bee

A Rose-Colored Look at the A Rose-Colored Look at the American High School ExperienceAmerican High School Experience

Sensitive stuff was happening Sensitive stuff was happening back in the day, but selective back in the day, but selective memory has either eliminated memory has either eliminated or changed how people or changed how people remember itremember it

This isn’t your mother’s This isn’t your mother’s (father’s, grandmother’s, (father’s, grandmother’s, uncle’s) high school – it’s uncle’s) high school – it’s yours, and Do you want to set yours, and Do you want to set the agenda on your campus? the agenda on your campus?

Resolve to tell the important Resolve to tell the important stories for YOUR HIGH stories for YOUR HIGH SCHOOLSCHOOL

What are some stories students What are some stories students have told in The Gazette?have told in The Gazette?

Student attitudes about Student 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 who Binge drinking, and parents who

buy alcohol for their childrenbuy alcohol for their children Living in a sea of white (being a Living in a sea of white (being a

minority in a mostly white minority in a mostly white community)community)

Teenage suicide.Teenage suicide.

More stories that have More stories that have appeared in The Gazetteappeared in The Gazette

Abortion. Abortion. Voting patterns for young Voting 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-stakes mandated high-stakes testingtesting

And many, many moreAnd many, many more

Are you living in one of the Are you living in one of the Sweet Six States?Sweet Six States?

Yes? Congratulations. Students Yes? Congratulations. Students choose the content, and choose the content, and administrators can’t get you to stop administrators 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.org– Consider litigation, America’s favorite Consider 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 can not the adviser’s fight. Your adviser can be your best friend, but it’s a STUDENT be your best friend, but it’s a STUDENT NEWSPAPER.NEWSPAPER.

You mean, in California the You mean, in California the administration can’t control administration 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 which People (you know which

people) don’t want you to people) don’t want you to know itknow it

You’re responsible for your You’re responsible for your own lack of knowledge, and own lack of knowledge, and you’re ignorant (but not lazy)you’re ignorant (but not lazy)

WRITE THIS DOWN! – WRITE THIS DOWN! – California Education Code California Education Code 4890748907

No? You live in one of the No? You live in one of the Frustrated Forty Four? Bummer.Frustrated Forty Four? Bummer.

LOBBY your state legislaturesLOBBY your state legislatures It’s easier to get forgiveness It’s easier to get forgiveness

than permission OR (alternative than permission OR (alternative approach) run it past your approach) run it past your administrators in advanceadministrators in advance

If you need allies, don’t make If you need allies, don’t make unnecessary enemiesunnecessary enemies

Meet your local media!Meet your local media! Consider other alternative ways Consider other alternative ways

to get your story published to get your story published (Sidwell Friends School and the (Sidwell Friends School and the web)web)

So, what has to happen to be able So, what has to happen to be able to tell trend stories effectively?to tell trend stories effectively?

Develop ideasDevelop ideas How? Become cHow? Become consumers onsumers

of the media, especially of the media, especially national magazines and national magazines and major-metro newspapers. major-metro newspapers.

Look for national trends Look for national trends you can localizeyou can localize

Brainstorm the unique Brainstorm the unique perspective your perspective your community has on these community has on these issues.issues.

Next, it’s time to start doing Next, it’s time to start doing some serious PLANNING!some serious PLANNING!

This is the crux of the This is the crux of the matter – where is this matter – where is this beast headed?beast headed?

One enormous story? Or a One enormous story? Or a mainbar with sidebars?mainbar with sidebars?

Some different approaches Some different approaches and techniques vs. the and techniques vs. the standard news-feature standard news-feature approachapproach– First personFirst person– Q-and-AQ-and-A– Italics to set off different Italics to set off different

elements of the storyelements of the story

Another big issue when it comes Another big issue when it comes to planning is TIMEto planning is TIME

Planning and preparing an Planning and preparing an agenda-setting package of agenda-setting package of stories is time consumingstories is time consuming

Mini-deadlines work well Mini-deadlines work well – not one deadline at the – not one deadline at the end of the project, but end of the project, but mini-deadlines all along mini-deadlines all along the waythe way– Use mini-deadlines for all Use mini-deadlines for all

the different aspects of the the different aspects of the package – writing/reporting, package – writing/reporting, graphics, photography/ graphics, photography/ photo illustration, page photo illustration, page designdesign

Now you have to develop your Now you have to develop your sources to help tell the storysources to help tell the story

You need credible, expert You need credible, expert sources – administrators, sources – administrators, counselors, etc.counselors, etc.

You also need to go OFF You also need to go OFF CAMPUS – counselors, CAMPUS – counselors, medical experts, youth medical experts, youth culture experts, etc.culture experts, etc.

It goes without saying that It goes without saying that these sources need to be these sources need to be quoted correctly and in the quoted correctly and in the right contextright context

The Web can be your friendThe Web can be your friend

Try these Web sources, both to Try these Web sources, both to find experts and for background find experts and for background

Google.com (my current Google.com (my current favorite)favorite)

CSNE.org (The Journalist’s CSNE.org (The Journalist’s Toolbox)Toolbox)

Studentpress.org (NSPA Studentpress.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 source but appropriately source your material, and avoid your material, and avoid quoting someone else’s quoting someone else’s quote (even with credit)quote (even with credit)

Criticisms of this approach, and Criticisms of this approach, and how you might respondhow you might respond

““Everyone else has already Everyone else has already done these kinds of stories.” done these kinds of stories.” Answer: Your stories won’t be Answer: Your stories won’t be redundant if you enliven them redundant if you enliven them with fresh perspectives from with fresh perspectives from fresh sources. fresh sources.

““We already did this last (year, We already did this last (year, semester, issue), so why are we semester, issue), so why are we doing it again?” Answer: doing it again?” Answer: Because, if you do it right, it’s Because, if you do it right, it’s not the same story. Look for the not the same story. Look for the CONTEMPORARY HOOK CONTEMPORARY HOOK that allows you to tell the story that allows you to tell the story from a different perspective from a different perspective than you told it the last time.than you told it the last time.

Other issues you must consider Other issues you must consider when telling trend storieswhen telling trend stories

It’s really part of the planning It’s really part of the planning process, but photos, illustrations, process, but photos, illustrations, graphics and other artwork should graphics and other artwork should be a significant part of your play for be a significant part of your play for these stories.these stories.

Fast-fact boxes, lists, etc.Fast-fact boxes, lists, etc. Solid news photos can be hard to Solid news photos can be hard to

get – so what do you do to solve get – so what do you do to solve this dilemma? Photo illustrations this dilemma? Photo illustrations are your friend are your friend

Be careful to label them as photo Be careful to label them as photo illustrationsillustrations

Let your PhotoShop wizards and Let your PhotoShop wizards and graphic artists help you – they graphic artists help you – they should study the covers of the should study the covers of the newsweeklies (Time, Newsweek, newsweeklies (Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report)U.S. News and World Report)

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

More samplesMore samples

More samplesMore samples

More samplesMore samples

More samplesMore samples

Are there problems with this Are there problems with this approach? You bet.approach? You bet.

Stories fall through Stories fall through (Answer: Be flexible, and (Answer: Be flexible, and have a back-up plan.)have a back-up plan.)

Writers don’t meet Writers don’t meet deadlines or aren’t up to the deadlines or aren’t up to the task of doing serious, task of doing serious, explanatory journalism. explanatory journalism. (Answer: Don’t assign these (Answer: Don’t assign these stories to rookies, and make stories to rookies, and make sure your best people have sure your best people have enough time to do it right.)enough time to do it right.)

Sources don’t cooperate. Sources don’t cooperate. (Get different sources.)(Get different sources.)

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 pleasant Awards and other pleasant forms of flatteryforms of flattery

Increased readershipIncreased readership Attention from local Attention from local

mediamedia Some scrambling from the Some scrambling from the

rats in the hold of the ship rats in the hold of the ship (which can be redirected (which can be redirected at you in the form of at you in the form of criticism and/or lawsuits)criticism and/or lawsuits)

And most importantly, And most importantly, credibility and credibility and R-E-S-P-E-C-TR-E-S-P-E-C-T

Questions?Questions?

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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