As a newspaper staff, we struggled with how to report difficult topics this month. At the beginning of February, we had stories assigned and design planned. Then news of the Title IX investigation broke. Then the shooting in Parkland happened.

Discussions surrounding how to cover the allegations were emotionally charged and we struggled to walk the line between reporting the facts and letting our emotions rule our reporting.

We decided it is not our place to speculate on the situation by inserting subjective opinions. At the same time, we knew it is important that we acknowledge it. We view our paper as more than just a place to find fun graphics and read reviews, but also as a forum to discuss relevant issues such as these that even adults struggle to grapple with.  

It’s not easy for us to write about; it’s not easy for people to talk about; it’s not easy for our community to deal with. I do not think it’s an overstatement to say our community is grieving the loss of someone we knew as a leader and a friend. There are many who are struggling to sort between the memories they had of Nick Hopkins and the new light he is being presented in.

At a national level, the turmoil surrounding gun control is bubbling over. As students grieved in Florida, we felt the shockwaves hit here. Something about this shooting was different. We are tired of hearing about innocent students suffer needless deaths. We are tired of wondering how we would react if something like this were to happen at our own school. We are tired of feeling like our voices aren’t being heard. We also recognize that our solutions about gun laws are not going to be a unanimous opinion.

We all crave answers and solutions, but there are some things we may never know. What we do know is that our school is helping us to feel safer. Whether it was being transparent with the investigation or helping students to voice our concerns and feel heard.

Our school is now part of something much bigger. While we are trying to understand and deal with these real-world events, change is happening and we are apart of it.