Editor: Student newspaper censored by school (for revealing vendor's 'mission' to 'serve God')

[Newsjock]

Source: Orange County Register

SANTA ANA – The editor of the student newspaper that school administrators stopped from being printed earlier this week says her principal was trying to censor controversial but factual information about a new cafeteria services provider.

Taylor Erickson, 17, a senior at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, said Principal Sue Vaughn primarily objected to an article reporting that independent vendor Alegre Foods is a Christian company whose "mission" is to "serve God." The Long Beach-based group was hired this year to run the school's cafeteria.

"Her concern was that if a parent by chance took issue with Christianity, they would get a couple of extra angry phone calls," said Erickson, who was called into the principal's office Tuesday for about a 40-minute meeting. "They were afraid of the information and claimed it was irrelevant. We were simply stating what the company was all about. Our objective isn't to please the administration and show everything's all hunky dory."

... Erickson, who identifies herself as a Christian, noted that the paper had simply reported information from Alegre's Web site, adding that the article did not editorialize or imply the hiring decision was improper.

Read more: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/school-vaughn-article-2560847-erickson-alegre

[joeybee12]

1. Why was the information relevant to the article?

Simply including it is a form of editorializing.

[joeycola]

3. I see it as getting factual information out to all.

[joeybee12]

6. Unless I see the actual article, I'm gonna disagree...

...it would only be relevant if they were doing a profile on the company...otherwise they are selectively choosing to include that.

[GillesDeleuze]

8. thats right, make up your mind

"until you see the article."

i tend to trust honest students trying to write for their school paper.

[joeycola]

9. yes, so do I. She would discredit herself if she said

it was from their website and later found it was not.

[Celtic Merlin]

14. Good point, Gilles. [n/t]

[Celtic Merlin]

11. Why do I have the strong suspicion that you'd feel quite differently if...

...the company's website stated that their mission was "to serve Satan"?

Instead, they state clearly that they "serve God". The company itself chooses to make that information public and to promote it on their website. The student included that very public information in the article. How is this "editorializing"?

Go to their website, here: http://www.alegrefoods.com/

The very first sentence on the home page starts, "Our passion, and our mission, is to serve God..." and they even stick a biblical quote right on there - Matthew 6:25. If they're THAT evangelical in their Christianity, WHY would even THEY object to having that information included in an article in the school's student newspaper?

This attitude of, "They're strongly Christian? Keep it quiet so nobody objects!" is wrong. What's right is exposing the Truth for all to see. "Full Disclosure" isn't a selective concept. It applies to Christians, too.

Celtic Merlin
Carlinist

[SemperEadem]

25. it's relevant because it concerns a basic truth

about the school and with whom it does business.

Now, if the company has nothing to hide, and the school district has nothing to hide, then what's the problem in a truthful article being written about a fundamentalist xtian outfit providing food services to the taxpayer's children?

In light of the tone of conversation this week regarding who is qualified to speak to people's children in school, I think that this shines a rather necessary light on who public school systems are allowing to come into contact, in whatever way, with school children.

[Posteritatis]

39. That's a nice, Wilsonian mindset. (nt)

[Grinchie]

34. Facts and Religion are like Oil and Water

They never want to mix, so the Religious just ban oil for the uninitiated.

Perhaps if they could define the mission of God, in his own words, than maybe I would be less skeptical. Serving God, well, I guess I wouldn't sign a contract that contain that sub-clause. That could mean feed stray dogs, or it could mean poisoning infidels or unbelievers or shooting sex education teachers. And yes, this sort of thing has happened in the past.

I just hope the student wasn't traumatized into beineg a Believer by her 45 minute foray into the Edu-Political clockworks that is the modern Education/Indoctrination system. More power to her if she survives with a stronger sence of self.

Keep fighting!

[Wilms]

4. Why was the information relevant to the the companies website?

That's where the info was found.

If the company had reason to put that on their web-site, why censor the student report?

[JoDog]

5. It could be relevant

if the company is using money from its profits to endow Christian causes or missionary work. Some of the money the school is paying them for services will end up in evangelizing hands, not going back into the company to provide higher quality services or raising the pay of workers. Therefore, (possibly tax) money provided by parents (and property owners) to non-religious school will end up promoting a religious cause. I can see why some parents, students and tax payers would have a problem with this. As a non-Christian, I sure would.

[joeglow3]

20. That could be said of ANY company.

Do you ask every local store owner you visit to provide you with a list of charitable organizations they donate to?

While I agree that the student should NEVER have been censored, it is almost as if some people LOOK to get offended.

[SemperEadem]

26. non sequitur

privately owned commercial companies aren't funded by taxpayers. Big difference.

From their website: http://www.ocsarts.net/Page.aspx?pid=193

This premier public charter school currently serves more than 1,380 students in grades 7-12 from 92 cities throughout Southern California.

from Alegre's site: in the vision and purpose to become the number one full food service provider for all Christian and Private Schools in Southern California …."


Why are they providing food service to public schools?

[RantinRavin]

27. How that company chooses to utilize it's cash flow is irrelevant to the school.

The company was hired to provide a service to the school. Once the company provides the service for which it is contracted to do, the fact that the money paid to it was originally from taxes is a moot point.

[GillesDeleuze]

33. so i guess schools should buy uniforms from slave labor

because, hey, once the product is delivered, who gives a shit?

[RantinRavin]

35. Hey, I guess we should cut off public assistance for religious persons

Since some of that tax money could wind up going to a church

[GillesDeleuze]

38. not a bad idea. also, tax the church.

[RantinRavin]

36. Of course, slave labor is illegal

or did you forget that slightly important point ?

[GillesDeleuze]

37. so is evangelizing on tax payer $

[Gormy Cuss]

7. Not necessarily.

In context it may have been only descriptive. The info came straight from the company's website. The corporate philosophy is used for marketing purposes (their stated goal is to be the # food service provider in Christian and other private schools) and for that reason alone I'd leave it out of the article.

[apnu]

10. Additionally the reporter could have put that information in a background section on the company

Which makes sense to me. If the company prominently displays mission information on their website, I think that is relevant information on the company's background. The reporter was doing a good job about informing the readership about the new cafeteria company. Now, if the reporter had to dig that stuff up the hard way, perhaps then we might have an issue of context to the original story. This information sounds like its as easy to find as the mission statement found on most company's web sites.

[nashville_brook]

17. yeah! newspapers have no business mentioning anything "not relevant" especially if it's embarrassing

that was sarcasm... might have even been "editorializing"


and here's the section, btw:

___________________

In a story about the new cafeteria services vendor at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, student reporter Julia Ostmann describes the company's religious affiliation in two paragraphs near the end of her article:

Alegre Foods identifies itself as "a Christian-based company" on its Web site and displays the Bible verse Matthew 6:25 on its homepage (the words "Matthew 6:25" also appear on the pepper in Alegre's logo).
"The purpose to serve God through Alegre resonated clearly." The Web site states "… in the vision and purpose to become the number one full food service provider for all Christian and Private Schools in Southern California …."

This was the only reference in the newspaper to Alegre's link to Christianity.

[apnu]

23. geez, Alegre's own words make them sound like...

... craven opportunists working the God angle for more $$$.

[Demit]

22. Because this food company's stated purpose was to serve God through their company.

One would expect that a food company's purpose would be to serve excellent food.

This discrepancy is what made the sharp-eyed young reporter sit up & notice. It is very relevant what a company says in their mission statement. That's why they write them.

[delete_bush]

32. They apparently aren't concerned about food quality...

Matthew 6:25

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

[Demit]

42. LOL! I'd bring my lunch from home for the rest of the year if I were those kids. Good catch.

[Kali]

43. that is too funny

:rofl:

perfect for school cafeteria in a way, eh?:puke:


:rofl:

[kirby]

40. Do the following...

Pretend you are a school reporter and found out the new cafeteria vendor was Alegre Foods.

Now goto www.alegrefoods.com and click the About Us to 'investigate' how the company describes itself,
so you can put that info in your article.

[UpInArms]

44. and the fact that Joe Wilson took

any monies from the healthcare industry is not relevant either?

Industry		Total	Indivs	PACs
Real Estate		$61,650	$51,650	$10,000
Health Professionals	$60,985	$28,985	$32,000
Lawyers/Law Firms	$50,850	$40,100	$10,750
Retired			$33,825	$33,825	$0
Lobbyists		$30,298	$27,550	$2,748

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2008&type=C&cid=N00024809&newMem=N

(edited for spelling error)

[Joanne98]

2. The "christians" spend all their time terrorizing the children.

Parents need to pay attention and start SUING them.

[apnu]

12. of course they terrorize children, how else can they get new fodder?

I remember a time when Christianity, in America, was supposed to be nice and inviting to all people. Now I'm not convinced of that. I've heard of small congregations that still follow Jesus' teachings, but the large ones, the mega-churches, the national groups, seem only interested in the vengeful Old Testament and terror. Which, from what I know, is the total opposite of what Jesus taught. That's why I quit religion, the filter these maniacs put on God is repulsive, and getting louder every day.

[Duke Newcombe]

31. I've been "terrorized" by school lunches before...

but don't you think that's a bit melodramatic?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

13. Guess that censorship thing didn't work out so well

Best way I know to get people to want something is to tell them they can't have it.

[Sabriel]

15. They serve God in the cafeteria?

I guess kids will eat just about anything if it's covered in ketchup....

[progressivebydesign]

19. My God.. man.. it's a cookbook!!!! n/t

[sakabatou]

28. New on this weeks menu: Slepner Soup!

[zonkers]

16. And if the principal had not have meddled, no one would have even noticed the fact in the article.

Classic example of how the cover up or in this case, censor, made this story way bigger than it would have been, IMO. Ain't it ironic.

[Boku-Wa]

21. Absolutely correct. It's this silly need for bureaucrats to constantly cover their ass.

I'm a militant agnostic and support strict separation, but this is another example of silly worry-wart school officials censoring a meaningless article in a student newspaper.

[progressivebydesign]

18. Sorry. but a company whose mission is to serve FOOD to kids, is suspect when it's evangelical.

In my uncharming little berg, we have stealth evangelicals at the high school working as coaches, and other staff. They recruit kids every chance they get. I DO want to know if the company which is employing people at my school is a religious organization. It matters to me. I've been so tired of aggressive Christians trying to get inside my daughter's head (but she's an agnostic, mostly because of their aggressive pandering to her her whole life)

I remember one parent who also coached events... She was at every game, always volunteering at the school, and always trying to push kids into Young Life. My daughter, who is actually my stepdaughter, was driven home by this woman one day. I stood at the door to thank the woman, and noticed she was whispering something to her... I asked later what was going on. My daughter said that the woman asked who I was (the stepmom), where was her REAL mother, and how did she feel about me? Now this is a woman that just met her... So, the Young Lifers made it their goal to save the poor little girl who didn't live with her REAL mother, by bombarding her with attention, invitations, and attempts by the adults to engage her in personal conversations. There is also a wrestling coach at the high school, a volunteer who is evangelical, who recruits kids. He looks for the lost ones.. the ones from broken homes, or bad grades, etc., and he grooms them.

So yeah.. I'd want to know if a company is placing workers in my schools that has a "mission to serve God." No, they need to have a mission to serve FOOD. The school is wrong here.

[SemperEadem]

24. what a huge overreaction!

why all the fuss if nothing is amiss?

Could it be akin to what this kid says goes on in schools right now?: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=366848&mesg_id=366848

[T Wolf]

29. Religious cult-groups have NO PLACE in public schools. Who knows what shit they will

pull to try and abuse impressionable young children? Not unexpected in OC, CA, but disgusting none-the-less.

This warrants a lot more investigation.

[JerseygirlCT]

30. I don't know how it was written, but

there's definitely a difference between stating that the company's mission is to serve God, and stating that the company believes its mission to be serving God.

The first gives a bit of editorial approval to the statement. The second reports what the company spokesperson believes to be the case.

[David__77]

41. It is really weird and I believe noteworthy.

There self-stated corporate mission is to "serve god." I do not know what the means in the practical sense, and I do not believe they should be discriminated against, but I do not in the slightest get that...

[LeftyMom]

45. That's useful information, especially for non-Christian students.

I'd bet that students keeping kosher or halal might make a point of bringing a sack lunch if the dining hall contractor was an overtly Christian company. I know way too many fundies who'd think it was a fabulous idea to "pray over" or intentionally contaminate (probably with bacon fat or something, they don't seem to know the rest of the dietary rules) the meal of somebody they knew was a Muslim or a Jew.

[daleo]

46. If they want to serve God

They should open a cafeteria in heaven.