Five win 2005 Courage in Student Journalism Awards

[flowomo]

anybody want to tell these kids that journalists are all whores and they should forget making a career of it? I see a lot of that kind of talk on DU, so pass it on.


ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Four students from DeSoto High School in suburban Dallas, Texas, and student media adviser Carol Richtsmeier will receive the 2005 Courage in Student Journalism Awards presented by the Newseum, the Student Press Law Center and the National Scholastic Press Association....

Students Whitney Basil, Eric Gentry, Zach Kroh and Jeremy Willis, who reported for DeSoto's school newspaper the Eagle Eye, will share the $5,000 student prize. Richtsmeier will receive a $5,000 award in the adviser category....

Basil, Gentry, Kroh and Willis are being recognized for their commitment to journalistic principles and defense of press freedom in the face of resistance.

In November 2004, the DeSoto school board approved a $65,000 payment to Project JAMS (Just Another Means of Success) for an assessment of gang-related activity at the school. The board also began consideration of a costly, five-year intervention program proposed by Project JAMS.

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.

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...

Although their reporting efforts were ultimately successful and the Project JAMS contract was canceled, the school board's continued threats against the First Amendment rights of the Eagle Eye staff prompted Richtsmeier to resign her position at DeSoto following the investigation....

"After 15 years, I had to leave a nationally recognized program because I could not, in good conscience, work for a school district that did not support my students and who philosophically began its walk down a path toward censorship," said Richtsmeier. "I have been blessed, though, that the Midlothian School District hired me to build its journalism program because they, too, share in my First Amendment philosophy."

[murielm99]

1. This deserves a reply.

Some of our current "journalists" could learn from these kids and their advisor.