Want to Know What Students Think of Your Reporting? Ask Them.

Do students in the nation’s second-largest district feel their communities are portrayed fairly in media coverage of homicides near schools? As part of her project on teens’ challenges navigating a safe path to school, education reporter Sonali Kohli asked students critique news stories. She also crunched the data, finding surprising examples where the reality contradicted perceptions of the “most dangerous” schools.

Kohli also shadowed students in the Los Angeles Unified School District on their commutes, as they dodge gangs and other potential threats. Some of those young people have lost multiple loved ones to gun violence. Kohli also speaks candidly about her decision to briefly step away from the beat to address her emotional well-being after covering devastating wildfires and a mass shooting event, in addition to her work on the school commute project. And she offers advice to others looking for mental health resources and support for journalists.

This episode of EWA Radio originally aired April 30, 2019.