Masuk Free Press

As a staff writer for the Masuk Free Press, I have one overarching responsibility: write something interesting enough that Masuk students will want to read it. No offense to any Masuk students, but it is rather difficult to write something that would intrigue a teenager enough to pick up their school’s newspaper. We try our best, writing about sports games, school events, and highlights on issues relatable to students, and we get views. Not many, but some.

This is not a result of the quality of the writing, but of our target audience’s interest level. Teenagers are stubborn, and realistically, we can not make them more interested, but we CAN make our content more interesting. 

In a brainstorming session on what would actually engage the average teenager, the idea of a gossip column was proposed. The idea was immediately shot down, which is understandable, considering we are a school publication, but that did not make it any less intriguing. 

Wouldn’t a gossip column be the perfect avenue to engage highschool students? It captures the natural human interest in scandal, with the people we are most naturally interested in, our peers. If students were given the opportunity to learn the nitty gritty details of the elusive classmate they sit next to in Algebra, you’re telling me they wouldn’t take it? 

When you ponder this concept further, the at-a-glance fabulous idea dissolves quickly as you find that the ethics of a highschool gossip column are complex and sticky, and erring on the side of caution is crucial to this publication’s survival. 

Here are the reasons why, to my utter dismay, we definitely CANNOT publish a drama column.

1. The Author would be killed.

After all, there is a reason Gossip Girl kept it anonymous. Keeping the author a secret would not be all that effective in general, as there are only so many journalism students it could be, and I don’t imagine a student who got their dirty laundry aired would be all too happy with the person who did the airing. I am picturing angry, scandalized students showing up at the doors of B114 with blazing pitchforks. 

2. The mean spirited nature of the column would not mesh well with a school publication.

Although we believe in freedom of the press and not leaving any stone unturned, there are some things that are not appropriate for us to write. Many submissions to the column would cover topics that are not school appropriate, especially with minors involved, and if published could result in us being at best shut down, and at worst taken to court. 

3. Fake submissions would flood our inbox.

I do not imagine we would get many in person submissions, so we would have no choice but to allow anonymous submissions. Opening up this avenue would invite false rumors, sent in to tear people down and relationships apart. We would be responsible for the tarnishing of reputations and the reason why somebody would dread going to school. It is not only an emotionally harmful idea, but also a legally harmful one, as publishing the false rumors in our column would render us guilty of defamation, or libel.  

4. Possible violence would be incited.

Maybe this take seems a little dramatic, but so are high schoolers. Let me set the scene. Imagine Becky told Samantha she had a crush on Jane’s boyfriend. Come Monday, Becky sees her secret in print. Becky is furious with Samantha, and Jane is furious with Becky, and their parents are furious that the girls received a week long suspensions after having a fist fight during C lunch. If we cause issues that require intervention from administration, we will not last long. 

While a gossip column seems fun at first glance, I have to accept that there are certain things we can not say. A school publication, like any, has its limits.  A gossip column also has the potential to weaken our paper, and make us no better than a gas station tabloid.

I have to remind myself that this is not Bridgerton, and I am not Lady Whistledown, and I must put this dream to rest. The fun of a gossip column is not worth its inevitable messy downfall, and the highly likely dissolution of the school paper as a result.