Grateful for education journalism

Some people, activities, and stories that I’m grateful for right now.

By Alexander Russo

Standout education journalism

Every week, Michele, Colleen and I struggle to whittle down the list of strong stories to just one or two “best” examples for the weekly newsletter. It’s deliciously difficult. Some examples, off the top of my head, include Donna St. George’s Washington Post piece about the Pennsylvania school system that managed to reopen safely, and the school mask controversy in Utah covered by the Salt Lake Tribune’s Courtney Tanner.

Reporters asking tough, fair questions about school systems

It’s harder to do during a pandemic, but confronting powerful individuals with important questions is one of journalism’s clearest functions. I’m always admiring and inspired when I see it happen. Just the other day, CBS News’ Bo Erickson asked President-Elect Joe Biden whether he was going to pressure teachers unions to speed up reopening schools. Last week, it was WSJ reporter Jimmy Vielkind, asking gruff NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo whether schools were going to close. I’m sure there are many others.

General interest news outlets and broadcast and cable news shows that include education.

It amplifies the importance of education and helps shape the debate when big outlets like CBS News or the New Yorker run stories about education, as they have recently, or when hosts of public radio or cable news shows book segments with folks most education reporters don’t get to talk to. Some recent examples include the WNYC’s Brian Lehrer, CNN’s Chris Cuomo and Jake Tapper, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, and CBS’s “60 Minutes.” Just last night, NBC’s Lester Holt asked Biden about education.

Related: The case for the Ed Lab model

Education journalist parents

Journalists all work hard, but it’s notable that so many education journalists have done great work despite the challenges of the pandemic and of parenting children who may be remote learning from the couch three feet away. Producing journalism under these challenging circumstances can’t be easy, so the results are all the more impressive.

Health, city hall, campaign, and investigative reporters helping out

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen strong work produced by education journalists teaming up with counterparts from other beats, or folks on other beats pitching in to cover an aspect or angle of the COVID story that’s in their wheelhouse. Not only has the teamwork helped expand the reach of education coverage, it’s also produced some insightful coverage in its own right.

New teams, tools, and approaches

They may not save the world or rescue journalism, but I am so thankful for the new resources that newsrooms have been supporting or expanding, including COVID data trackers (via the Arizona Republic, for example), school closing maps (from EdWeek), pop-up newsletters (from the New York Times and — soon — the Wall Street Journal), and education teams like USA Today and the Dallas Morning News. EdWeek has also been producing a regular survey that’s proven incredibly helpful.

Reflective, curious journalists and educators

The education beat is full of reporters and editors who are curious and reflective about the work they do, and willing to talk about their reporting process and their work. It’s a gift to all of us who care about education journalism that they are so insightful and candid — willing to consider criticism but also to push back when they think their work is being unfairly characterized.

Journalists who find their way back to education reporting

There are way too many people leaving the beat, so when folks find (fight?) their way back, I am so glad to see them. Former Atlantic education section editor and reporter Alia Wong is now back covering education for USA Today. Aaricka Washington is now covering schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. The Seattle Times’ Joy Resmovits never left the beat, but her work was invisible to us while she was editing the section. Now she’s back reporting, and I’m really excited to see what she does.

You get the idea. Lots to be thankful for. Much much more coming in the annual year-end roundup. Have a great holiday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexander Russo

Alexander Russo is founder and editor of The Grade, an award-winning effort to help improve media coverage of education issues. He’s also a Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship winner and a book author. You can reach him at @alexanderrusso.

Visit their website at: https://the-grade.org/