To Mr. Barr and the Newspaper Class,
The latest edition of The Californian featured an article titled ”Transgender sports ban is the right call,” by an Opinions Editor, which was written with a repetition of debunked assertions, representing an inaccurate depiction of the current situation that many students at Cal High are affected by. When opinion pieces are published with little to no fact-checking, it perpetuates harm to already vulnerable communities. The author states, “There is no intention of being discriminatory when it comes to protecting women’s safety in a locker room.” Despite this claim of neutrality, no statistical evidence is included to support it, highlighting the fact that the whole piece promotes fear and hate speech toward trans women. The single source cited was the National Library of Medicine, which itself states that, “As a library, NLM provides access to scientific literature. Inclusion in an NLM database does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health.” Simply put, the author wrote a piece full of misinformation and ignorant remarks, where none of their opinions were fact-based or supported with any credible resources. During this time in our country, the current administration attacks marginalized groups, making them more vulnerable than ever. It’s important to keep schools a discrimination-free space where students develop a strong sense of empathy towards one another and become well-versed in current affairs.
Such an article published in our school’s newspaper gives the impression that our school supports discrimination against the transgender and other communities. While we understand this article is opinion-based, such rhetoric only causes further harm towards transgender individuals. Even if not directly, this article regurgitates dangerous ideas against the community and implements them into the minds of other students. Because no opposing viewpoint was included to create a more productive conversation, this article goes against our school’s statement of being a safe place for students, as well as promoting a negative portrayal of trans women to others, giving our school a close-minded image. SF.gov states that, “Trans people are estimated to make up 1-2% of the population of the United States; however, trans people make up less than less than 0.002% (10/500,000) of US college athletes, and even fewer of recent Olympians (0.001%) identify as trans.” Additionally, a study partly funded by the IOC in 2024 found that trans women can be at a greater physical disadvantage competing with cisgender athletes. Furthermore, this is a gross generalization of the concerns of female athletes, as the author didn’t include any interviews with athletes or anyone who this subject concerns.
In light of these points, it is clear to us that The Californian not only lacks credible sources and thoughtful nuance but also contributes to a hostile environment for transgender students at Cal High. In response to these concerns, we decided to meet with the staff and the teacher of the newspaper class to express our concerns directly and foster a more constructive dialogue. Moving forward, the staff has promised to take a closer look at controversial topics, examining them in depth to provide a more balanced and informed perspective. They will also plan to include rebuttals to opposing viewpoints when the argument calls for it, aiming to strengthen their arguments and promote a thoughtful discussion among readers. As a school that prides itself on inclusivity and respect, we must hold our student publications to a higher standard that prioritizes accuracy, empathy, and responsibility. Moving forward, we urge staff to be more involved in stronger fact-checking processes and to consider the real-world impact their content can bring to the diverse student body.
Sincerely,
Seniors:
Mikey Carrion
Aly Kearney
Isaiah Gooch
Kate Baca
Tierney Turnbow
Sofia Di Pietro
Austin McConnell
Sienna Helmer (GSA President)
Juniors:
Malakai Sokolov
Selah Aloula
Olivia Cavanas
Teachers:
Bob Allen (GSA Advisor)
Kiara Smith (Social Justice English)
