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Florida University Shuts Student Paper
AP ^
| 04-11-03
Posted on 04/11/2003 11:57:09 AM PDT by new cruelty
DELAND, Fla. (AP)--Stetson University suspended publication of its student newspaper and fired the editorial staff because an April Fools' Day issue included profanity, racist jokes and a sex column advocating rape and domestic violence.
The Reporter, founded in 1887 and billed as the state's first college newspaper, was shut down Wednesday for the remainder of the school year.
Staff members said they were given 15 minutes to clear their belongings out of the office as the locks were being changed.
The Reporter traditionally pokes fun at the faculty, student groups and itself with an April Fools' edition renamed The Distorter. But school officials say the students went too far this year.
``There's not much in this year's Distorter that you can laugh about,'' said Michelle Espinosa, the dean of students. ``We believe very strongly in students' need for autonomy. But the students do assume responsibility for their editorial decisions.''
Inside the fake issue, the Howard Thurman lecture series _ designed to promote racial dialogue--was satirized with an article about a racist Civil War enthusiast drinking beer at a podium. The weekly sex column was written in Ebonics. And phony advertisements included a spray that ``Kills townies dead'' and one featuring profanity in giant block letters, ``Because we are allowed to print it,'' it said.
``We pushed some buttons that may not have needed to be pushed,'' said sex columnist August Brown.
Though no longer affiliated with the Florida Baptist Convention, Stetson is still considered a conservative school. Alcohol wasn't allowed on its DeLand and St. Petersburg campuses until 1995.
The newspaper had been under pressure from administrators to tone down the content of recent editions. After the April 1 edition, school officials said they were inundated with calls and e-mails from upset alumni, faculty and students.
Staffers said they were disappointed they were fired without warning and that even people who had no say in the paper's editorial content lost their jobs.
``We've learned a lot in the last week as students and journalists,'' said fired editor in chief Teresa Schwarz. ``I think that's something they're overlooking.''
Administrators and student leaders will work to start a new student newspaper in the fall, Espinosa said. Former staff members may reapply and will be considered for rehiring, she said.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
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To: new cruelty
On battlefields big and small WE ARE WINNING!!!
To: new cruelty
``We've learned a lot in the last week as students and journalists,'' said fired editor in chief Teresa Schwarz. ``I think that's something they're overlooking.'' I hope you learned some common sense, but I doubt it.
To: new cruelty
Sounds like a bunch of little brats who need to grow up. Hope mommy and daddy are proud.
4
posted on
04/11/2003 12:08:43 PM PDT
by
JohnnyZ
(Get it? Exterminator . . .)
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5
posted on
04/11/2003 12:08:59 PM PDT
by
Support Free Republic
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To: new cruelty
My college newspaper used to have an annual April Fools' Day edition. During my second year it was a classic -- articles that were totally B.S. but were just realistic enough to make you think they were true, including plans to conduct a joint nuclear research project with the University of Moscow (this was during the Cold War), a plan to demolish one of the administrative buildings and replace it with a cultural center (complete with architects' renderings of the new building), and a version of the weekly "police blotter" report that included a story about the school president getting arrested on charges of public lewdness.
To: new cruelty
I was news editor (i.e., front page editor) of my college paper (also a Baptist school), and one year, we put out an April Fools issue.
But it was all just funny stuff, no double entendre, slurs, or foul language.
What got the MOST raised eyebrows from the faculty was totally benign by today's standards: I wrote a fake article that the newest building on campus, Self Hall, home of the School of Business, had been condemned by building code inspectors.
Since it had JUST been dedicated at multiple millions of dollars and was Administration's pride and joy, I got a couple of comments from the faculty.
But it was all in good fun.
7
posted on
04/11/2003 12:20:49 PM PDT
by
Cordova Belle
("America is great because she is good. When America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.")
To: new cruelty
"issue included profanity, racist jokes and a sex column advocating rape and domestic violence." You wonder what kind of mind thinks this kind of foolishness is funny even on one day out of the year.
8
posted on
04/11/2003 12:35:27 PM PDT
by
FryingPan101
(I love Rummy!)
To: Cordova Belle
This reminds me of one of the funniest April Fools stories I have seen. I still chuckle when I remember it. Years ago, maybe the sixties, one of the major networks (Huntley-Brinkley ?) had a piece about how the Italian spagetti crop was suffering. It then showed the Italians workers reaching up and taking spagetti off the trees with the voice over story. It was told completely seriously.
To: new cruelty
Inside the fake issue, the Howard Thurman lecture series _ designed to promote racial dialogue--was satirized with an article about a racist Civil War enthusiast drinking beer at a podium. The weekly sex column was written in Ebonics. It's so nice to see the leftists and the conservatives (here) hold hands and sing Kumbaya together! No siree, can't mock "diversity", can't mock Ebonics, can't expose the art form called [c]rap music for its violent message.
10
posted on
04/11/2003 12:42:19 PM PDT
by
Revolting cat!
(Subvert the dominant cliche!)
To: AUsome Joy
I remember the spaghetti story! It was the BBC. Hilarious straight-faced comedy that the Brits do best of all.
11
posted on
04/11/2003 12:48:58 PM PDT
by
Snickersnee
(Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket???)
To: new cruelty
"something they're overlooking"
I don't think so ... I think they saw exactly what they were supposed to see ... it was time for the adults to take charge of the children.
12
posted on
04/11/2003 1:02:24 PM PDT
by
CyberAnt
To: Snickersnee
I think you are right. It was probably picked up by one of our stations. It reminded me of the ERPI films we used to watch in geograpy classes. I can't believe someone else remembers it.
To: AUsome Joy
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/top100.html #1: The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest
In 1957 the respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in, and many called up wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. To this question, the BBC diplomatically replied that they should "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best." Check out the actual broadcast archived on the BBC's website (You need the RealVideo player installed to see it, and it usually loads very slowly). -More-
To: americafirst
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot believe how amazing Freepers are. I thought that segment would have been lost. I enjoyed it all over again. Funny how time changes your memory. I thought they were Italians and that it was a bad crop. I can't believe that people believed the story.
To: Snickersnee
See americafirst's post 14. He posted the site that has the video. It was the Number One hoax.
To: Revolting cat!
I'm on the side of the student newspaper in this dispute. Maybe some of the satire was tasteless, but anyone who was offended was probably trying to be offended.
17
posted on
04/11/2003 2:06:26 PM PDT
by
Dog Gone
To: new cruelty
Stetson Graduate Bump!
Ahh, the memories of surfing the inlet at New Symrna Beach...
To: new cruelty
This is a perfect example of why no college should have an administration-run newspaper.
19
posted on
04/11/2003 2:13:50 PM PDT
by
Timesink
To: Revolting cat!
I don't think it's funny, actually. It's not creative or clever at all.
They obviously skipped the class on satire and irony, and went directly to Democratic Campaign Strategies.
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