Lessons From the Stoneman Douglas School Shooting

For most journalists, the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida is a national story. But for Jessica Bakeman of WLRN public radio, it’s local. She’s closely covered the story for this NPR affiliate in South Florida, including the effects of the shooting on students, educators, and parents, and the student survivors’ growing grassroots campaign to enact stricter gun control laws both in Florida and nationally. What’s next for the #NeverAgain movement? How did the rigorous college prep instructional model at Stoneman Douglas contribute to students’ preparedness to take on public roles in the wake of the tragedy? Why has social media, particularly Twitter, played such an outsized role in how this story is being covered? Plus, Bakeman discusses the special challenges that come with radio reporting on violent incidents, and the ethics of interviewing traumatized teens.