During these past few weeks, I have had several writers request that their articles be published under “The Stute” rather than their own names. Let me tell you why.
For some time now, the student body has been split. Whether that be because of their political views or in light of the current divestment, the campus is more lively with conversation. The Stute has been covering the divestment as well as more political topics during this timeframe. Everything that has been covered is strictly unbiased, however, there are writers who fear that their work will impact them personally and make them vulnerable to the public eye. Putting them under “The Stute” shields them from potential backlash.
I, however, have also been asked to omit names of student leaders in an article where their involvement is crucial. My E-board and I agree — we cannot protect them the way we do our writers. Let me put it this way:
As Editor-in-Chief, I took this role knowing that I am putting myself in a position where the decisions I make are public. I have accepted that every decision I make may be scrutinized and change the way the student body views The Stute. Other student leaders that hold positions similar to mine have done the same. They have also accepted that their positions come with a certain degree of public visibility. They put themselves in a spotlight, whereas the writers did not.
A Stute writer’s job is to get the full picture, all sides of a scenario. They are not voicing their opinion, but writing about how a topic is being discussed and voted on. Those crucial to the vote or that have an influence on campus discussions,, are leaders that have also accepted that their role comes with a certain level of transparency.
I have also received requests to keep names anonymous in fear of legal repercussions from reporting events given the current climate in our country. It breaks my heart that students feel they cannot voice their opinion freely without feeling like it may affect their families and themselves. I understand their fear completely. I will always prioritize their safety over a byline.
All in all, I do not know. I try to protect the people I can. I hope a day comes where nobody is afraid to put their name on an article they proudly wrote. The writers deserve all of the credit, but sometimes safety comes first.
