Let’s take a minute to remind ourselves of the good things around us, including — yes! — the rise of non-traditional outlets.
By Alexander Russo
A couple of weeks ago, an education journalist friend asked me to name some folks whose work I admired, and it was surprisingly easy to come up with names.
Concerned as I always seem to be about the state of education journalism, I appreciate all the good work being done out there — by traditional journalists and others.
So let me take a minute to share my list and to encourage you to give the people whose efforts you admire a shout-out if you don’t see them here.
The categories below include established stars, “emerging” stars, friends of the beat (non-education journalists), and non-traditional news-gatherers and information-sharers.
But this isn’t an exercise about recognition; it’s about appreciation. And the names below are nothing complete or methodical. So please excuse any obvious omissions — especially trade journalists and education editors, who do amazing work and deserve their own lists.
I appreciate all the good work being done out there — by traditional journalists and others.
Mainstream national education journalists including the AP’s Bianca Vázquez Toness, New York Times’ Dana Goldstein, APM Report’s Emily Hanford, the Washington Post’s Laura Meckler, and NPR’s Cory Turner are national treasures.
Despite all my constant quibbles, I’m enormously glad these folks are doing what they’re doing, and I hope they keep at it for years to come.
At the local and regional levels, I’m almost always excited to see education coverage from reporters like Julia Silverman (Oregonian), Jill Tucker (SF Chronicle), Jenny Brundin (Colorado Public Radio), Steph Machado and Mandy McLaren (Boston Globe), Asher Lehrer-Small (Houston Landing), Trisha Powell Crain (now at Alabama Daily News), and Liz Bowie (Baltimore Banner).
Big thanks to them and many others.
Toness, Goldstein, Hanford, Meckler, and Turner are national treasures.
The emerging journalists whose work often makes me excited about the beat include the NYT’s Troy Closson, Voice of San Diego’s Jakob McWhinney, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Nader Issa, USA Today’s Kayla Jimenez, AP’s Cheyanne Mumphrey, and the Baltimore Banner’s Kristen Griffith.
Of course, “emerging” is a totally arbitrary distinction. Maybe they’re just emerging to me!
Thanks also to the journalists whose work is not entirely or currently education-focused, but still stands out for its insight and power. They include ProPublica’s Alec MacGillis, the Atlantic’s Jerusalem Demsas, Insider’s Matt Drange, nationally syndicated public radio hosts Meghna Chakrabarti and Deepa Fernandes, and the New York Times’ editorial writers Brent Staples.
I also truly admire and appreciate the work of the Boston Globe’s Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, the LAist’s Nereida Moreno, the KC Defender’s Ryan Sorrell, the Houston Chronicle’s Sam González Kelly, and Ida Mojadad, who covered education for the SF Standard and is now freelancing.
There’s so much great work being done.
We no longer live in a world in which information-sharing is the sole domain of traditional journalists and outlets.
If there’s one thing that’s increasingly clear, we no longer live in a world in which information-sharing is the sole domain of traditional journalists and outlets. Many if not most people get their education news somewhere else.
So I want to thank some of those nontraditional information-sharers and thinkers who give me new ideas and challenging perspectives.
Your list may vary, but for me they include the parents behind Seattle Hall Pass, URL Media’s education newsletter, and Minneapolis Schools Voices, as well as countless individuals like Marilyn Muller, Anthony LaMesa, Sacramento high school teacher Larry Ferlazzo, researcher Jennifer Jennings, liberal podcaster Jennifer Berkshire, conservative activist Corey DeAngelis — yes, that guy — Eileen Chollet, and — why not? — controversial podcaster Joe Rogan.
I think the rise of non-journalist “influencers” is both a challenge and an opportunity. If professional journalists don’t share information that’s interesting and important to parents and the public, other people will. But there’s also so much they’re doing that professional journalists could emulate, if only they and their newsrooms decided to make it happen.
Let’s appreciate what the non-journalists do, learn from how they do it, and see what can be done to keep the beat growing and improving in the year ahead.
Thanks to all.
Previously from The Grade
Thankful for education journalism (2021)
Grateful for education journalism (2020)
Favorite bylines, outlets, & education teams (2019)
Unsung heroes of education journalism (2019)
The Grade’s favorite education bylines, teams, and outlets (2018)
Star reporters and standout stories (roundup)
