This previously ran in our April 2024 issue.
Dear readers,
A couple weeks ago, I came across a yellowing issue of The Stinger, frayed at the edges and only a few pages long. The date on the front page: May 3, 1967. As I looked inside, I saw many of the same issues we cover today also discussed over half a century ago: faculty and budget changes, club and community features, opinions on classes, and sports stories. I realized the scope of The Stinger’s journalism, and took a moment to reflect on the legacy of our publication, which has continuously published for over 100 years.
In the past year, The Stinger covered heated school board elections, divisive protests, President Biden’s visit to Emmaus, and much more. In this issue alone, we explore the reasons behind the altered final exam schedule, EHS’ harmful party culture, and gender inequality. Our independent journalism is not privy to any sort of administrative review, allowing us to be completely honest and transparent in our coverage of these issues. We are fortunate to have the support of our principal, superintendent, and school board in upholding the journalistic values essential to serving our community — even when what we report on doesn’t necessarily reflect well on the school district.
For example, The Stinger recently documented EHS’s social studies teacher shortage, its struggles in meeting Keystone Exam benchmarks, and its subsequent placement on Pennsylvania’s Targeted Support and Improvement list during this school year. All these stories pointed out shortcomings in East Penn – and sometimes, we were the only news outlet reporting on the issue. Every time, we received transparency and cooperation from district officials as we researched and reported, ultimately allowing us to better inform our school community – as we have for the past century.
In our pursuit of the truth however, we face many of the same challenges as professional journalists. The Stinger received multiple emails this year demanding we take down content or release private interviews, in attempts to intimidate us and undermine our commitment to fair and truthful journalism. Despite these attempts to hinder us, we will always remain ethical in our reporting — making sure you always get the whole story.
Part of giving our readers the information they need to make their own decisions includes providing balanced viewpoints. The Stinger has been a strictly nonpartisan news outlet since its founding, but we still print columns and opinions from a wide variety of different political and cultural outlooks. I strongly encourage every reader to add their voices to the conversation, sharing their views on the school, our stories, and anything else on their mind through Letters to the Editor (which can be sent to [email protected]). After all, The Stinger has always been a publication run by students for students, and will continue to stay that way.
This past year has been a tumultuous one both locally and nationally, and tensions will likely only continue to rise as we approach the 2024 elections in November. There may be more protests, concerning educational crises, and other events none of us are prepared for. Students and faculty may experience more changes in how our own school systems are run — hopefully some for the better.
No matter the case, rest assured that we will continue to cover it all for you: our students, our readers, and our community.
Sincerely,
Ayaan Shah
Editor-in-Chief
