Monday, January 11, 2010

Unabridged Violence: An Editorial Draft


Following on the heels of the first day of school I was tasked with submitting a sample piece of writing to the supervising editor for the editorial page position. The appointment would help me develop a writing style but maintain some of the freedoms I have come to expect with the kind of work I submit to some of my blogs. I would still photograph for the paper, be part of the news staff and do editorial cartoons, a job I can certainly do, but I would like the opportunity to get some of my own style into the writing.

The assignment was 200ish words on the looming teacher's strike vote and the student walk-out planned for tomorrow. The lucky person will be awarded one of the 2 available positions. Unfortunately one of the people I am up against is my friend Vanessa, who certainly has experience writing in a freestyle blogging format equal to my own. The ideal thing would be if we both got it, but fate rarely works out exactly like you want it. So, once I'm done the thing I'll post it below!

Finding information on the looming strike vote is hard. With the vote only a few days away it would make sense that there would be more credible information available. Newspaper articles direct us to Facebook groups.

Ontario College Students Against A Strike is the Facebook group where most articles direct the students. In the site’s forums the answers received to genuine questions are usually made up of basic biased information, or total guesses, with later responses boiling down to a feces-flinging storm of swearing and capslock.

What many students are trying to gain is lost in misinformation. Everyone claims to be an expert, in reality very little is being shared with students so people simply don’t know.

The website states they wish for a peaceful resolution that has the least affect on the students. Student comments seem more out of the frustration of not knowing than anger toward the teachers.

If your search leads no further than Facebook there are no real answers. The websites for either side are also just filled with propaganda. Students have to make up their own minds on how to react.

An extended semester would drastically lower the chances of getting a decent summer job to pay for school. I don’t know how I feel about the position of either side, all I know is that if a strike extends the semester into the summer, financially I can’t commit to a second year. There is no informed student voice and for many that’s the real frustration.


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