By Carl Sessions

Last week, the Press-Citizen published an article online titled “Brawl at City High over Prom Date.” The article described a fight that happened in the Commons before school. However, the word “brawl” was misleading, as there were only two students involved and only one was fighting, so the following day the title was changed to “City High Student Charged in Fight over Prom Date.” Although the title was changed and the negative connotations associated with brawl shut away, I feel a certain amount of unease with the way this assault was covered.

First, the article is essentially a summary of a police report. There are no quotes from witnesses or school administrators who would have had important things to say. This is a mistake. Quotes are needed to balance stories out, especially when they’re as volatile as this one. Talking to the parties involved is the only way to ensure fair and accurate reporting.

In fact, the day the Press-Citizen article was published, I read it aloud to the journalism class as an example of how to not write a story. That a professional paper failed to follow such a basic journalistic rule is disappointing, especially considering the subject material. A story with the words “brawl” and “high school” in the headline is not going to reflect well on the school where it happened, and should thus be given a little more foresight before publication. I feel that the paper had an obligation to talk to or to get a comment from someone from our school about the incident. They didn’t, but if they did, this is what they would have been told.

“This was an extremely, extremely unfortunate incident, and I regret that a student here would find it acceptable, in any way, to do such a thing,” principal John Bacon said of the assault.  “We have to get better as a school. To have something like this happen is a shame.”

The second reason why I feel the incident was mishandled was that it was too exposing. The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics says both “show good taste, avoid pandering to lurid curiosity” and “show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage.”

I understand that the student who committed the assault was 18, but he’s still in high school and is still a kid. I don’t think having his mug shot beneath an alarmist, partly false, headline is showing good taste or avoiding pandering to curiosity. There’s a fine line between covering an event that affects the community and overexposing something that’s probably not relevant to the greater public.

Obviously, due to the severity of the charges brought against this student, some reporting was necessary, but the fact that the Press-Citizen rushed to publish an article that indirectly slammed our school without even talking to a single person associated with City High is unfortunate.

Finally, I can’t totally respect either the article or the author because there was no by-line. Without a by-line there is obviously no way to contact the reporter who wrote a story, and there may be more of an incentive to conduct sloppy journalism.

The assault that occurred in City High was a terrible thing that shouldn’t have happened. But, as in any sad situation, there were bright moments. After talking with Principal Bacon and some of the witnesses, I learned that immediately after the fighting started, a few of the student’s peers put their bodies in between the student and his victim.

Additionally, an important fact that was missing in the Press-Citizen’s story was the abnormality of this assault. Contrary to the beliefs of some in the community, City High has had very little violence this year.

“We have not had any physical altercations since first trimester,” Bacon said. “Absolutely minimal activity in this category, but we must get better. We have had an outstanding year, and to have something like this happen is personally hurtful. We must, and we will, get better.”