There is a lot of disgust with the news media on this site, and rightly so, especially with the infotainment crap that passes for TV news. But I think the vital work that the majority of journalists do and the courage it takes to do it is underappreciated. Most journalists - note that I don't say "all" - try hard to get it right. With that in mind, I think
this news may help restore some hope in the minds of those who feel an independent press is a thing of the past.
The 2005 Courage in Student Journalism Award from the Newseum and a pair of student press organizations went to a group of students at DeSoto High School right here in Dallas. The students stood up to a hostile school board and exposed a whiz-bang gang-intervention program that the district had spent tens of thousands of dollars on as a fraud.
The details of their story are pretty inspiring:
The students, suspicious that Project JAMS had overstated the level of gang-related activity at the school, launched an investigation. Delving deep into the background of Project JAMS and its founder, Amon Rashidi, the students raised critical questions about the program's credibility and uncovered years of false claims, unfulfilled contracts and unsubstantiated statistics.
DeSoto's school board responded with threats of censorship, and Project JAMS responded with threats of legal action. On several occasions the students were accused of being racist and un-American and were alienated by school administrators who supported Project JAMS. Although pressured to stop their investigation, the students continued. Eventually, their efforts led to a series of town meetings and gained the attention of The Dallas Morning News and local television news operations. As a result, the nearly $1 million in additional funds requested by Project JAMS for program implementation was not approved.
The best part, I think, is the support they got from their advisor, who shared in the award:
Eagle Eye student newspaper adviser Carol Richtsmeier encouraged Basil, Gentry, Kroh and Willis throughout their investigation of Project JAMS. Knowingly jeopardizing her position at DeSoto High School, Richtsmeier stood before the school board and defended her students' coverage and their press freedom. Despite frequent public criticism by the board, Richtsmeier's unwavering support of the Eagle Eye staff paved the way for their investigation and set a courageous example of strong journalistic principles for her students to follow.
"This is the first year the Courage in Student Journalism Award has been presented to an adviser," said SPLC Executive Director Mark Goodman. "We could not have hoped for a more deserving recipient than Carol Richtsmeier."
Richtsmeier was so disgusted at the district's attempts at censorship that she resigned and now teaches journalism at a school in West Texas.
In a decade, we may not recognize the medium that journalists use to disseminate their work, but courage and dedication to the truth will always remain the foundation of the craft for those who do it right.