May 29 - Assignment (20 pts. formative) Write up what you think of this list. What do we do or not do? What do we need to change?

So today you will respond to several articles and situations.

1. The tragedy in Santa Barbara has raised issues about how the student press covered it.

Check out one school's policy on emergencies and how they cover them below:

In an emergency…

A fire, a shooting, an unexpected death… these are all stories that we hope we don’t ever have to cover. But some high schools and colleges have faced these crises, and have provided their communities with the information that is especially needed in troubling times.

Student reporters have a unique position in the midst of a breaking story:

o We are teenagers who may be close to those who are most affected.
o We are sons and daughters who need to take into account the concerns of our families.
o We are students who must follow school rules.
o We are journalists who have an obligation to provide information to our readers.

To resolve these sometimes conflicting roles, The HUB has the following policy:
o In an emergency, safety comes first. Follow all instructions from school officials and go where they direct you. Never put yourself in danger!
o If you are personally affected by a crisis, do not feel like you need to put on your reporter hat. Take care of yourself; others who are less affected can take over.
o When able, take notes on all aspects of the crisis that you can personally observe. Interview people about the crisis, even while waiting. Don’t wait for an assignment: report!
o Remember to take photographs, with cell phones, if necessary.
o If you can do so without interfering with their work, interview officials at the scene who can provide context and information (wear a press pass).
o Connect with an editor-in-chief or adviser as soon as possible to see how you can help with the story. Come to the classroom if allowed. If not, the editor-in-chief will designate a meeting place, which could be at a staffer home or the Davis Enterprise [our local paper]. Call an editor-in-chief to find out where the meeting place is.

To make sure we are always prepared for an emergency that may keep us out of the our classroom, we:

o Keep the cell phone numbers of the editors-in-chief, photo editor, adviser, and Student Press Law Center (at a minimum) stored on our own cell phones.
o Keep laptops up-to-date with programs and templates.
o Keep press passes and notebooks with us.
o Photographers keep at least a point-and-shoot camera with them at all times to capture breaking stories.

Our goal is to:

o Keep our community informed by posting confirmed facts (not speculation) on our web site by the end of the day.If warranted, write, layout, and distribute a special issue that provides context and information to our community.

REMEMBER, THE ABOVE IS THE POLICY OF THE OTHER SCHOOL. YOU ARE TO RESPOND TO IT IN WRITING. PUT IN JFKNEWFRONTIERINBOX@gmail.com. Due: At end of class today.