If Wood River High School had a newspaper, student reporters could have reported that President Barack Obama kicked off the school year with a televised speech Tuesday seen by students nationwide.
But Principal John Blackman recently shut down the school's newspaper, Wolverine Prints, deeming that five students is too few to justify a newspaper class and citing a shortage of available teachers in the English Department.
A teacher shortage at WRHS had not previously been reported, nor has the school suffered budget cuts, but nonetheless the existing teacher will not be allowed to teach the class.
As for any shortage of students, five motivated students can put out a perfectly fine newspaper.
Student reporters could have reported that Obama's speech was preceded by speculation manufactured by right-wingers who alleged that the president would preach "socialism" in some sort of national brainwashing session.
They could have reported that the president in fact appealed to students to study hard and take education seriously because the nation's future depends on them. They could have reported that he said no matter who students are or what their circumstances, they can get a good education if they try.
Student reporters could have interviewed other students, published columns, letters and comments about how WRHS students received the speech. They could have stimulated a school-wide discussion and recorded a bit of WRHS history.
But, alas, the newspaper is shut down.
