City high schools are victims of unfair Vindicator coverage of isolated events

EDITOR:

January 25, a fight broke out between two Youngstown city students at the East-Chaney basketball game and with approximately four minutes left to play and a clear winning team, the officials chose to end the game. Most of The Vindicator’s readers know about this unfortunate incident because The Vindicator plastered it on the next day’s front page. The article stated that a rivalry between schools was not the cause of the fight, that East was winning by 35 points and that students peacefully left the building and waited for their parents to pick them up.

One might then wonder why The Vindicator chose to print this story on Saturday’s front page. One might also wonder why The Vindicator continued to write about this incident in its next three editions. By the attention The Vindicator put on this student altercation, one might think that there have been no such incidents at any other area high school sporting events.

The Vindicator reporter managed to interview students in the parking lot after the game, dug up the price tags for the new buildings and reminded the public about every other disruption that has happened at East and Chaney.

No one is denying the fact that two teenage girls tried to resolve an argument through fighting. We are acknowledging the undeniable reality that many of the Valley’s people have a distorted image of Youngstown city schools and its students that is derived from racism and stereotypes. The four articles about the basketball game and the hundred other articles highlighting incidents at the schools show the lack of content and fairness in The Vindicator’s coverage of the Youngstown city schools and its students. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, The Vindicator reinforces the negative and racist attitudes that many people hold.

The Youngstown city schools are filled with intelligent, creative and pleasant students. These students have hopes and dreams and are busy taking the ACT exams, applying for colleges and planning their futures. Several have worked diligently to earn athletic and academic scholarships. Unfortunately, many of these young people have also been harmed by the generalizing, stereotypical and racist attitudes that still prevail in our society. Many of our students are overcoming many other obstacles besides racism and they need, and deserve, the support of the media. By highlighting the poor choices that a few obstinate and disobedient students make, The Vindicator is permeating the negative and incorrect attitudes that many people hold about the city’s children.

If The Vindicator feels the need to report on every incident that takes place in the hallways of East and Chaney high schools, then in fairness, it should report on every incident that takes place in every other school in the Mahoning Valley. Our students are very aware of the blatant inconsistencies in The Vindicator’s coverage of the city schools in comparison to surrounding districts and it is yet another reminder to them that they are being punished for the color of their skin and for where they live and go to school.

JENNIFER WALKER, MARCO
MARINUCCI, HENRIETTA WILLIAMS, HOLLY SEIMETZ and BRUCE DONAHUE

Youngstown East High School

Walker is a teacher at East; Marinucci is the athletic director and Williams, Seimetz and Donahue are deans.