I've not commented on the vulgar headline in a Colorado State University newspaper. But this line from a NY Times article forces me to break my silence

On the campus of Colorado State University, opinion is divided over whether a terse editorial that ran in the student newspaper on Sept. 21 was an exercise of free speech or immature judgment.

My answer: it is both at once. Free speech is free speech, even if it is immature and ill-considered.

Should the staff involved be fired? I'm not sure -- though there is the issue of the paper's code of ethics is being considered by the Board of Student Communications.

The board plans at the hearing to consider whether the language violated the newspaper’s code of ethics, specifically the provision that “profane and vulgar words are not acceptable for opinion writing.”

I don't know that I would agree in every instance, but this was a gratuitous use of the profane word in question. And I think a better argument for firing the editors can be made -- they violated their fiduciary duty to the paper by their poor editorial choice, as evidenced by the immediate loss of over $30,000 in advertising revenue.

Posted by: Greg at 10:25 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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