Clarifications on MVHS journalism program changes
May 9, 2023
Dear MVHS community,
We appreciate the support we’ve been getting in light of the Talon’s recent article on the MVHS journalism program. It means the world to us that our MVHS community cares about the student journalism serving them. That said, we’ve noticed some misinterpretations and confusion surrounding the article and would like to clear the air.
CLARIFICATIONS
- The Introduction to Journalism class, the class required before joining Oracle, is being cut and allegedly combined with the yearbook to create Publication Design I, according to administration.
- There was no direct censorship from administration. In regard to the sexual harassment in-depth article, administration requested prior review which involves looking at the article before publishing. It was the Oracle’s executive decision to remove some identifiable details from the story for legal safety.
OUR CONCERNS
- Removing Introduction to Journalism — In conversations with administration, the Oracle was reassured that all students signed up for Intro would be notified of the cancellation and told about the new Publication Design pathway. However, this was not the case. Having no Introduction to Journalism students next year will be detrimental to Oracle. If students are not told about alternative classes, there will be no new members coming into Oracle after this year.
- Adviser change and lack of support — Pancho Morris, the current Drama teacher, is slated to be the Oracle adviser next school year. Morris is untenured, which means he could be fired without being given a reason. This puts the Oracle in a dangerous predicament. Next year, all teachers will be new to the journalism program. Without a stable adviser, we will have an unstable program.
The Oracle has been serving MVHS for decades and we hope to continue doing so for decades to come. Protect student journalism.
Sincerely,
The 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 EIC Team
Naina Srivastava, Katie Tsang, Kaitlyn Knopf, Krithi Sundar, Hanna Olson, and Antonio Peeples
Note: Any actions taken in protest are not affiliated with the Oracle.
Mateo Kaiser • May 21, 2023 at 1:56 pm
As one of Oracle’s editors-in-chief (2018-19), I’m extremely disappointed in how these changes are being handled by the administration, and their scattershot rationales come across as absurd.
Reading the coverage of this story it seems clear that regardless of motives, the administration is not supporting student journalism at MVHS at all. When there is a good advisor and a well-taught and experienced staff, there should be no reason for the administration to exercise prior review.
The administration’s course catalog machinations sound like they will kneecap Oracle, hurting the future of this award-winning publication. Oracle was an extremely formative experience for me, CTE certified or not, that taught me more applicable skills than any other course or activity I encountered at MVHS.
The administration should work with Oracle students and their advisor, to ensure that journalism is an option for incoming students. Instead of actively impeding student journalists’ work, the administration should stick to responding to requests for interviews and leave it at that.
Jan Johnston-Tyler • May 10, 2023 at 9:00 pm
Thank you for standing up for journalistic freedom. I heard about this issue from one of my kids, a 2020 graduate of MVHS, who shares my concern about the lack of communication, the ‘sudden’ nature of the changes made and the very poor optics around this timing. Please know that are seen, heard, and supported in the community at large.