We at The Prospector have heard and discussed all of your feedback about our column, “What Did You Say?”
We intended to expose things that are said on campus that are inappropriate at different levels, some that have no rightful place here, but we understand that the framework for this column and some of our word choices could have made this intent clearer. In this follow-up, we would like to provide more context, an explanation as to why we believe the printing of this section is important, and to turn this section of our newspaper into a sounding board where our peers can describe not only what they have heard, but how it has impacted them and why it is necessary to discuss being civil, respectful, and inclusive.
While some quotations may be innocuous or even funny, none of them were meant to be seen as light-hearted, celebrated, or condoned. Instead, we hope to hold up a mirror to our richly diverse community and expose the things we and others on campus overhear daily.
We want to create a space where everyone feels represented. By sharing this column, we hope people can think before they speak and take accountability/responsibility for their words.
We do believe that addressing the quotes has sparked a much-needed conversation, but the situation has escalated into something we did not intend.
We wanted to acknowledge and raise the question: Why are kids on campus saying things like this? It’s deeply concerning that these remarks are being said on campus without proper action from staff. These quotes have harmed many and have created a very hostile environment where people do not feel safe on campus. It’s important for staff to address these issues to keep this school the safe place they claim it to be. We want to see immediate action to make sure all students feel welcome at McClatchy.
What the Prospector does know is the comment was said by a student whom the Prospector staff has heard egregious things from in the past. The comment was said amongst a group of friends to bring a reaction. It was not in response to a class discussion, it was off-topic.
Upon further investigation, many students are uncomfortable speaking about it now. When asked about context, most students are hesitant or refuse to answer because of the outrage of the community already.
We acknowledge that our use of the word “favorite” in the column was not the best. We understand that language can be misinterpreted as support for the quotes featured in the column. We recognize the impact of our words do not match the intent, and this has impacted a lot of individuals, especially when addressing the sensitive issue of anti-semitism. Moving forward, we are going to be more mindful of our words and rethink how this can affect someone that the quotes are being discriminatory towards.
Your feedback has been very important and helps us to improve our future editions of the paper. In the future, we plan to continue this section and allow students to submit what they’ve seen and heard around campus and how it affected them. We want The Prospector to be as inclusive as possible.
That being said, if you would like to express your feelings or thoughts, please fill out the Q&A Form that will be linked on our Instagram soon. We appreciate all your messages.