Chicago soldier killed in Afghanistan. Night two of the Democratic presidential debates. Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. On August 1, the distinguished editors of one of the country’s most trusted newspapers deemed none of these stories worthy of the main story slot on the front page. 

Instead, the editorial board reserved the coveted main story slot for a piece on Parker’s potential expansion worrying wealthy neighbors. The others? They were merely relegated to small text boxes in the corners. 

Abandoning their sacred duty, the journalists at the “Chicago Tribune” elevated eyeballs over journalistic integrity, setting a poor example for young Chicago student-journalists. We refuse to follow their example because we recognize our responsibility to inform the Parker community and serve as an objective check on the administration. The onus lies on the “Tribune” to serve as an effective check on the local, state, and federal governments. While the “Tribune” certainly has both local competition and a need to make a profit, they nevertheless failed their readers. 

We will do better. We are not controversialists. We will refrain from sidelining critical issues. We recognize our purpose to serve the Parker student body, to be their voice in asking questions and challenging authority. 

Every year, “The Weekly” staff attend the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention, a conference with thousands of other high school student-journalists. Students and teachers from across the United States walk around with t-shirts with the First Amendment printed on them. Teachers proudly share stories of their students criticizing them in their school newspapers. This year, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Journalism Education Association chose Washington, D.C. as the location for the convention, a fitting choice given American politicians’ contempt for the free press.

The most heartening aspect of the convention is the promise of this young generation of journalists. Growing up in tumultuous times, millions of student-journalists feel encouraged, inspired to restore faith in an institution protected by America’s foremost guiding principle: freedom of speech. While our leaders continually deride the fourth estate, professional journalists must work harder to gain the trust of an increasingly social media-reliant nation. Lifting up stories about a private school’s expansion over stories that inform the public of political malfeasance not only paints the “Tribune” in a negative light but also hurts the reputation of hardworking journalists around the country.

When our journalism brethren err, we have a responsibility to strengthen our reporting. We are not merely a student newspaper but, first and foremost, a breeding ground for journalistic talent because talented journalists fight the powers that be. “The Weekly” most accurately embodies Parker’s mission: to produce global citizens in a democracy, and journalism forms the bedrock of every democracy, especially our embryonic one at Parker.