How to Cover In-School Violence
In the United States, the news cycle has been overwhelmingly usurped by the never ending mass shooting tragedies in schools. But mass shootings are not the only types of violence that plague our schools, and in-school violence is another topic all on its own.
Bullying and cyberbullying, though not often thought of by the general populace as violent acts, are emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually violent and often go on to spur even further violence both by the bullying party and the bullied party. In addition, teen suicides as a response to these forms of violence creates further unsafety around mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety and the way those students are treated by their peers.
WHAT TYPE OF VIOLENCE IS APPROPRIATE TO COVER?
Any and all violence in an educational setting is the mark of a failure of the system. While most journalists may not hear about the finer points of bullying and cyberbullying going on in the school, the violent acts that result from these most often have roots in one of the two. Sensitively reporting on these facts can change a story and expose some of the underlying causes.
For example, if the person being bullied had no recourse for help through the school–why? If that person did approach the school, and no help was offered–why? Where were the holes in the school safety system that did not enable the bullied student to receive clear help from his/her teachers and or other responsible adults in the situation? What happened and why?
LOOK FOR PATTERNS ACROSS SCHOOL SYSTEMS
If violent acts are repeatedly occurring in similar capacities across several locations it’s likely the same issues are underlying. Establishing this pattern is important because it can point to a dearth of something in the school system(s). Continuing to ask-which plans were in place that failed? Which plans were never in place at all? Does this school have the resources it needs to properly keep itself safe and its students happy?
Another thing to consider is the demographics of the particular school system. Most underfunded schools are in impoverished neighborhoods, where the risks of crime and violence outside of the school are already increased, as opposed to wealthy neighborhoods. School systems in impoverished places are unable to keep up with the demands of the populace due to overcrowding in classrooms, lack of available teachers or other childcare workers, insufficient administrative staff, insufficient school supplies, food, or other essentials, which leads to a deprived population, which leads to violence.
MINORS AS SUBJECTS
The names of no minor should ever be released in a piece of journalism, nor any damning clues as to the identity of the subject(s) to the outside world. The communities dealing with the after-effects of a violent incident at school certainly do not need to worry more about the safety of their kids because strangers were able to identify them from journalistic profiles.
UNICEF laid out six principles for journalists reporting on children:
“One; Respect the dignity and rights of every child in every circumstance.
Two; In interviewing (and reporting on) children, pay special attention to each child's right to privacy and confidentiality, to have their opinions heard, to participate in decisions affecting them and to be protected from harm and retribution.
Three; Protect the best interests of each child over any other consideration, including advocacy for children's issues and the promotion of child rights.
Four; When trying to determine the best interests of a child, give due weight to the child's right to have their views taken into account in accordance with their age and maturity.
Five; Consult those closest to the child's situation and best able to assess it about the political, social and cultural ramifications of any reportage.
Six; Do not publish a story or an image that might put the child, their siblings or peers at risk, even when their identities are changed, obscured or not used.”
School violence is a sensitive topic because it involves the most vulnerable amongst us: our youngest. In our search for the truth and in our goals to share it with the public, balancing the lives of the children, the school and community, and the greater societal issues that allowed any violent act to happen in an educational space.
