Article on racism in ESD lacks facts

I hope the newspaper can do better in the future.

Mr. Miller-Still’s October 6 article “Details scarce about infamous EHS volleyball game, but raises concerns about racism across the district” left me questioning the journalistic standards at the Courier-Herald.

Racism is a serious issue, and has no place in our society. Precisely because of this, any accusations of racism must be carefully made and well-supported. Instead, Mr. Miller-Still admitted the following in this very article: “The Courier-Herald has reached out to several parents, students, and district employees that were at the game for information; none were able to corroborate that anything racist was said at the Sept. 23 game.” Furthermore, the only instances of racism he cited were from three uncorroborated social media posts. The incidents in each of these posts were not related to the EHS volleyball game, and lacked any specifics.

The fourth estate of the press is a cornerstone of our democracy, and the Courier-Herald is a vital source of accountability and information. Unfortunately, Mr. Miller-Still’s article is formed around an unsubstantiated narrative, and not facts. Here’s to hoping our newspaper can do better.

Chris Gruner

Enumclaw