Soundoff — 9/17/2006


Reader: For the past 10 years at Centennial High School, I have taught my students to use the newspaper and the media as a resource to understand the world around them. This knowledge, based on responsible and truthful reporting, gives us an opportunity to analyze the events that affect us. Thus, I was deeply disappointed with the story in Thursday’s Californian concerning the Centennial video.
The article used interviews with a few students to paint a broad generalization of high school students, Centennial High School students in particular. The picture you painted was not only unflattering, but an incorrect description of the vast majority of the students that go here. A much better method would be to seek out students who see the behavior as wrong and immoral. Better yet, a great companion article would be to communicate all of the great activities that Centennial students engage in, such as their service to the community through the Interact Club and their participation in after-school activities that better them as a person and a student.
These activities are prevalent every day, and I hope The Californian communicates these activities in order to show how great the Centennial student body really is.
— Ryan Coleman

As a parent of a Centennial High School sophomore girl, I just had to write to you to tell you of my disappointment in The Bakersfield Californian’s coverage of the recent fight that took place. Your reporters went to the school and interviewed a few people and then wrote an article that portrayed all Centennial girls as people out looking for trouble. There are quite a few of them on campus that are actually there to learn! They work very hard to keep up in their college prep and AP classes, play sports, have jobs, and they even do community service. Imagine that! It would have been nice if your reporters would have looked around campus for a larger variety of students to interview.
— Kristel Renick

Jenner: Thanks for your notes. I’m sorry you read our story as an indictment of all Centennial girls. That certainly wasn’t our intent, and that’s really not what our story said.
I know there are hundreds of hard-working, high-achieving girls enrolled at Centennial. But for at least some girls — young women who are good students and appear to be normal kids — fighting other girls is an accepted part of their social life. We found that to be newsworthy.
We’ve done story after story about exceptional students at Centennial ever since the school opened its doors. And we’ll continue to do so.
Just as this one story does not pretend to describe every girl attending Centennial, I’d ask that this one story not be seen as characterizing the dozens of great stories we’ve done about the positive efforts of many Centennial students.


Reader: After reading Wednesday’s front-page story (“Local Teens Charged in Videotape Beating”), I was left wondering about printing names of juveniles in the paper. I had always assumed that it wasn’t done unless they were tried as adults. What are the criteria?  State law? Newspaper policy? Severity of crime?
I’m sure much goes into the decision, and I’m really curious to know. 
Thank you,
— Ann Jones

Jenner: While state law does govern whether law enforcement agencies may release the name of a juvenile charged with a crime, no state law prohibits us from publishing them.
But we don’t necessarily print every juvenile suspect’s name.
We base the decision to publish on the severity of the charges and the circumstances of the crime. And the decision is only made after considerable discussion by editors.
In the case of a slaying, we probably would publish the name of the suspect regardless of age.
In this particular case, three 15-year-olds and one 16-year-old were charged with felony assault, torture and conspiracy in the beating of a 14-year-old freshman.
Another 15-year-old is charged with assault.
The beating was witnessed by other students and captured on videotape, and prosecutors initially said it had been posted on the Web site MySpace.
Probation officials released the names to the media. News editors and I discussed the publication of the names in light of the charges and circumstances, and we were unanimous in our decision to publish.
What children and teens in our community spend their time doing — including fighting — is something the newspaper should report on. Using names, after carefully weighing the decision, makes the story real to readers. Violence is happening in our community, sometimes in places and ways that may surprise some readers.


Reader: Steven Mayer’s recent article about Muslims in America gave prepackaged answers to basic questions about a very frightening religion. Most of his information about Islam and the Koran (sic) was not accurate, probably propaganda sent out by Council on American Islamic Relations. It was curious that while quoting CAIR, Mr. Mayer did not report on exactly who and what CAIR is or why and by whom it was founded. Please have him investigate and report that to your readers.
I’m certain when he learns of CAIR’s nefarious roots, he’ll realize that he’s shown himself to be either slightly treasonous or just another lazy reporter. If he is simply lazy, please do not allow him to reprint any more press releases sent out by our enemy.
I’m certain I am not the only one to see the wave of beheadings, stonings, Medieval torture and insane honor killings brought to us via the “religion of peace.” Like it or not, it is a fact that we are at war with Islamic fascists. Like it or not, Islamic fascists are very vocal and very clear on their intentions for our country, our society and our way of life.
Until I hear a deafening public outcry from American Muslims renouncing their religion’s violence and apparent madness, I will continue to be wary of all Middle Eastern men between the ages of 16 and 40. Sadly, recent history has shown us that all Americans should.
— Roy Rede

Jenner: You are entitled to your opinion, and I respect it.
I do find it interesting that you draw no distinction between the Islamic fascists you see waging war on our country and way of life and the millions of Muslims who live in the United States. If they are all one and the same, wouldn’t we see attacks on U.S. soil on a regular basis?
As for your complaints about CAIR, we let Catholic organizations describe their religion and Jewish organizations represent theirs. In this instance, we did the same for American Muslims.
By the way, the phrase “religion of peace” is your term, not Mayer’s.


Reader: Columnist Bob Price’s Wednesday column was right on (“Our economic crisis: Kern needs to learn.”)
Price is the only reason I continue to subscribe to the paper, other than the comics, which have decided not to run two of my favorite strips. Oh, and, to read the obits.
Keep up the good work!
— Roberta Abbe


Reader: Herb Benham’s column in last Sunday’s Eye Street could have been very useful in showing the positive in training the puppy.
Instead it only showed a sadistic humor.
What a negative column and Herb, the adult, should have known better.
A grade school child could have written a better story on human and animal interests.
I feel sorry for that poor puppy with Herb as the heartless master with an attitude.
— T.S. Davis

Jenner: At the risk of sounding like a sadist myself, I must admit that I thought Herb’s column, about adopting a blind dog, was quite sweet. 
You clearly saw it otherwise. I’m sorry you were offended.