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Letter to the Editor: Sarah Handler

Hello,

Below is my letter to the editor for this week’s Scout:

Student run newspapers are an integral part of any college campus, but last Friday’s “Voyeur” edition was unbecoming of a collegiate paper. When a portion of our tuition goes towards funding the operation of The Scout, the paper has a level of accountability to students. This Valentine’s Day edition featured articles that were sexist, heteronormative, disrespectful, and otherwise offensive. As a Bradley student, I was disappointed and embarrassed to have my college’s name attached to this paper. As a student leader, I was incensed at the process that allowed this paper to go to print.

Like many other student organizations, Student Senate has worked to create a campus that is more inclusive and that rejects rape culture in all its forms. Last week’s edition of The Scout moved our campus backwards. Regardless of the articles’ intent, the result was exclusionary and offensive. So, I along with 16 other student leaders did something that Bradley students rarely do in such great numbers: we channeled our anger into action. Within a few hours, we had produced a joint statement expressing our disapproval with The Scout’s reporting. Since then, the statement and #NotOurVoice has been shared, liked, and tweeted hundreds of times.

I’m proud of the students that added their voice to this conversation. Now, it’s time for The Scout to listen to our voices and produce the type of paper that students deserve: a paper that is informative, inclusive, factual, and adds value to our campus.

I hope to read this paper soon.

-Sarah Handler, Student Body President
shandler@mail.bradley.edu

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