Katie Freeman
Editor-in-Chief, Beyond the Cave
Law and Ethics
Character Counts Announcements
2013-2014 School Year
As we created the journalism program, I sought out opportunities to build our credibility on campus. One of the ways in which we achieved this was through daily Character Counts announcements, which our staff wrote. These were read to the student body every morning. These ones are my own.
Trustworthiness
Harold MacMillan once said, “A man who trusts nobody is apt to be the kind of man nobody trusts.” As we work on developing trustworthiness within ourselves this month, it is important to realize that others are doing the same. While it is important to become a trustworthy individual, it is equally as important to place trust in the people around you. You must be willing to rely on your peers, whether that means giving up total control over a group project or asking someone to get the homework from that day you missed. This will motivate your peers to meet your expectations, for as Booker T. Washington once said, “Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him.”
Responsibility
Growing up in the world today, one might feel pressured to conform. However, it is vital that we recognize the importance of diversity and originality; without it the world can never improve. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.”
Fairness
As you interact with people today, be fair in your treatment of others. Treat others with respect, don’t take frustration out on them, and remember that as Poncho Peligroso once said, “Every single person you know has something in their life and past that is probably worth collapsing to the ground in an uncontrollably sobbing heap over, so be nice to each other and tell good jokes.”
Citizenship
“The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.” This statement from Joseph Joubert reminds us that while it is nice to win an argument every once in awhile, nobody truly benefits from defeat. By spreading one’s knowledge in a meaningful way instead of shoving information into people’s faces, beneficial change can occur.
Mission Statement
Published in every edition
In every publication we include our mission statement. This allows our readers to understand our hopes for the publication and demonstrates our responsibility to the community.
Code of Ethics
During the early days of creating the paper, my adviser emphasized ethical responsibility. As a class, we collaborated to create this list of ten items to guide us in our endeavor. This code demonstrates the high standard to which I and the rest of Beyond the Cave's staff adhere.
The mission of Beyond the Cave is to present reliable information to all of our readers while creating a forum that acts as the watchdog of our community. We promise to -- and are committed to -- verifying all information and keeping biases out of our stories. Loyalty to our fellow reporters, our school, and our community is our main focus and we will not be swayed by or influenced by outside powers that distract us from this purpose.
