Students at the Quinnipiac Chronicle have been facing some criticism after publishing a story on the death of a student from a fentanyl overdose last year.
Tuesday the faculty of the Department of Journalism came to the student newspaper’s defense in an open letter:
“Despite backlash on social media, as well as real threats of violence aimed at the student journalists, the faculty of the QU journalism department support the student journalists, their rigorous reporting and soul-searching decision-making processes, as well as the freedom of the press to report on tragic events to provide facts and extinguish rumors and falsehoods that emerge in the absence of documented facts.”
Journalism serves its community, even when it is painful to do so for readers – and journalists.”
We have covered many similar stories on The Laurel involving student papers facing backlash after engaging in actual journalism. It seems many people in the audience expect less from a student paper.
