High school highjinks

Franklin Central High School in Indianapolis is in a boil over the suspension of sophomore English teacher and newspaper adviser Chad Tuley. The school's student newspaper, Pilot Flashes, reported Nov. 12 on a student who was arrested for murder. Shortly thereafter, Tuley was suspended with pay. Since then, Tuley has been reinstated as a teacher -- but not as newspaper adviser. While the school board met Friday and the issue was raised, a resolution doesn't seem to be on the horizon. \nThe fundamental problem is one that has long been an issue in regard to student journalism. Tuley said he was suspended because the "purpose of the school newspaper was to promote the school." The murder story didn't fit these parameters, and Tuley and his students took the hit. Promotion should be best left to inspirational speeches, cheers and fight songs -- but not to a newspaper. \nThe purpose of high school newspapers is to educate high school journalism students, not train propagandists for school corporations. Even in light of relevant court cases such as Tinker v. Des Moines of 1969 and Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier of 1988, the aim of high school journalists should be the same as all journalists: to inform the public. High schools shouldn't shy away from a news story because it is controversial; in fact, it would have been irresponsible for the school not to report on this relevant story. The story was relevant to the newspaper's readership -- the students. Students studying journalism won't learn anything by writing and reporting on only shiny happy news. If students only learn to appease the powers that be, the watchdog function of good journalism is compromised and the future journalists of this world learn the wrong lesson. \nIf situations like this continue to tumble out of control, we will be compromising the future of journalism. High school journalists are held to the same journalistic standards as all journalists, so they should be afforded the same rights. The students had a responsibility to report on the story, and Tuley was right in allowing them to print it.