The smell of sharpened pencils and new paper wafts throughout the school, drifting across sun-kissed hair and tanned skin. The new school year has begun, and with it, we’ve officially kicked off the Krier. The one in your hands now is the first of 11, and this year, we’ve revamped the entire issue, gutted it out, and even recruited 15 more editors than we had last year. Our issues are highly edited and as close to perfection as our eyes can catch.
Each issue is for the student body; each issue contains topics we, as an editorial staff, would read and find interesting. We are a part of the student body too, and we attempt to create eye-catching graphics, photographs and stories that will open the minds of students as well as change the way news is thought about. Some of us have the preconceived notion that news is boring, and since we aren’t in the real world, it doesn’t have much to do with our lives.
Because this isn’t true, one of our goals is not only to inform, but also to help the students of KHS realize what a privilege it is to have access to news.
A goal that can’t be accomplished without the help of students is the use of our open forum. If a story is not up to par, or anyone isn’t happy with what was printed, anyone can write to us. We are one of the few schools that doesn’t have prior review and can publish controversial stories and opinion pieces (that we write carefully and sensitively). Therefore, student feedback is the best way the Krier is able to form into a student-run newsmagazine containing topics students actually want to read.
An easy way to get in touch with us besides coming by our office is to visit our new and improved web site. After reading a story, submit your comments so that no matter what, everyone’s voice will be heard.
The comments are intended to be used as a tool so that we may become the newsmagazine students want. We have trust in the students that this privilege won’t be abused.
As a staff we are fully capable of handling the responsibilities that go along with being completely student-run, student-operated and student-published. A large part of the reason we can write stories about a variety of topics, controversial or not, is because of our Tinker rights. We write sensitive stories with the greatest accuracy, and we contact the Student Press Law Center with any questions we have, giving us reassurance and a safety net. We have conference calls with lawyers, and we confirm our sources again and again. We make sure our stories aren’t libelous, an invasion of privacy, a copyright violation, or anything that will cause substantial disruption. It’s incredibly important to our staff to maintain a credible newsmagazine.
Each issue prints and is distributed without any prior review from anyone outside of staff, decreasing the chances of our newsmagazine being influenced from other students, parents or the administration. This being said, any complaints or problems should be discussed and resolved through the editorial board and are not the responsibility of Kaneland High School.
We are a student-run newsmagazine. We’re published for the students, by the students. We promise that this year the Krier will be everything the students have asked for. But first, they need to get asking. Already have something to say? Drop off any written comments at B109 or email us at [email protected]
So Kaneland High School, get ready. We’ll report about tragedies, victories, losses, trends and everything in between.