A letter from the director
Dear journalism teacher and/or adviser,
Likely you have read about the upsetting situation with the IDS, IU’s award-winning student-run newspaper. The past two weeks have been difficult for everyone who cares about free expression and quality student journalism.
During the past two weeks, I’ve felt angry and deeply sad. My connections to Indiana University and student journalism run long and deep. I myself attended the High School Journalism Institute in 1979, which inspired me to pursue my bachelor's in secondary education with journalism and English as my concentrations. From 1985-2008, I taught high school journalism and English, advised student newspapers, and experienced two censorship battles. I also served on the Indiana High School Press Association Board. After teaching at HSJI for 22 summers, I became the director in 2008. Student journalism has been at the center of my life for over 45 years and has given me great joy and cherished relationships. This is why I felt it necessary to make clear where I and the High School Journalism Institute stand.
The High School Journalism Institute condemns censorship of student journalists. Full stop. The administrative decisions about the IDS do not reflect the values of our pre-college program.
Since Oct. 15, Journalism faculty and alumni have been working diligently to support our current students and to share our frustration with administrators whose decisions threaten the legacy of journalism on the IU Bloomington campus. We will continue to advocate for the editorial independence of all IU student media outlets: the IDS, the Arbutus, IUSTV, and WIUX.
Like IU’s journalism faculty, HSJI will continue to teach foundational journalistic principles and values. HSJI is dedicated to developing and supporting independent student journalism. We believe our democracy depends upon it.
The impact of our administrators’ decisions has been far-reaching. I hope IU administration will have reversed course before you and your students must make decisions regarding summer workshops. I also hope that you will trust HSJI to continue providing an exceptional experience for scholastic journalists as it has for almost 80 years, one that empowers students to think critically and express their ideas freely.
Should you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Teresa A. White
Director, High School Journalism Institute
Senior Lecturer, Journalism
Franklin Hall 230B
601 E. Kirkwood Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47405
812.855.9822 • terwhite@iu.edu