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Student editors urge board to protect Oracle print newspaper and hands‑on journalism program
Summary
Mountain View High student editors told trustees that the Oracle newspaper faces repeated disruptions — advisor changes and shifting course structures — and asked the board to preserve the student‑led print publication and its educational benefits.
Mountain View High student editors spoke during public comment on May 5 to ask the board to preserve the Oracle, the school’s student newspaper, and the class structure that produces a six‑issue printed paper distributed to the community.
Why it matters: students said the Oracle provides leadership opportunities and a civic record of campus life; they complained past years’ program changes — including removal of an advisor and the creation of a dual‑enrollment structure — have repeatedly threatened the print program.
What the student said - Carter Nishi, a senior and one of three editors in chief of the Oracle, told the board the print paper is produced six times a year and mailed or distributed to about 1,300 recipients; he urged the board to “place journalism at the forefront” and to allow the print paper to continue. - Nishi said the Oracle’s learning is hands‑on: students write, edit, design and publish a physical news product and that those responsibilities provide leadership and civic skills.
Discussion vs. decision: the comments were part of public communication; trustees did not take action during the meeting but were addressed later in the agenda by district leaders.
Ending: the student said archives of the Oracle serve as a local historical record and that the paper operates as a public service. He asked the board to consider the educational value of preserving the print format and the student‑led structure when the district finalizes course or program changes.
