Rahul Mehra

The role of the media in today's world is imperative. In any democratic institution, the media, especially the news media, play a crucial role in providing the people with news, opinions and reviews. It is vital in any institution or community for free press to flourish in order to express the opinions and concerns of a cross section of society. Considering that Deerfield is a microcosm of America, I can safely say that The Deerfield Scroll is a microcosm of the real world media.

The Scroll that you are holding in your hands right now is a medium for students, alumni, and parents across America and the world to learn about pertinent issues not only at Deerfield, but issues concerning Deerfield's community. The Op-Ed (short for Opinions and Editorials) page is established for the purpose of creating a platform for students to express their opinions in an open forum. Since not everyone complies or agrees with a particular person's views doesn't mean that the Scroll shouldn't publish them. This is a student publication and the voices of the students should be heard throughout the Scroll.

One of the most striking aspects of my Deerfield education is the emphasis on original thought. I learned to take my stand on issues in the classroom, even if they were controversial. If this is true for what I think about Gatsby in my English class or the Vietnam War in my history class, why can't it be true for what another Deerfield student writes about American foreign policy or Iraq in the Scroll?

Diversity of opinions is crucial in everybody's education, both inside and outside the classroom. Take for instance the case of U.S. History at Deerfield, a course that is a graduation requirement for all students. We read sections from the standard textbook as well as from Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. While all of us do not turn into Zinns by reading his book, studying from the two perspectives helps us shape and strengthen our own.

After the terrorist attacks on American soil last year, this country changed in many ways. At the same time, articles published in the Scroll provoked feedback from alums. Casual campus talk described these "Letters to the Editors" as anywhere from "constructive criticism" to "hate mail." It is striking to note that most of the alumni who have written these letters graduated decades ago.

Today Deerfield is racially, socio-economically, and geographically diverse. Students from different backgrounds bring with them diversity of opinions which is reflected in sections of the Scroll. There is more than one way to look at issues. "Maturity of thoughts," a phrase in an alumnus' letter, comes from discerning between opinions rather than blindly conforming to one particular set of ideologies.

My introduction to real-world media was over the summer in India, when I worked for a national newspaper. I learned that the advantage the Scroll has is that it doesn't need to print full-page advertisements for revenue or publish rumors and gossip to increase its readership. The most valuable asset, however, is an intellectually diverse student body that wants to share its opinions and readers who can appreciate them. Alluding to this, English teacher Frank Henry '69 wrote to the editors in the February 27, 2002 issue of the Scroll: "Far from using a 'prism of tortured sophistication,' I believe our students are holding up bright lights in a dark world and are looking for answers rather than allowing old formulations to blinker them."

The Op-Ed page of the Scroll is published for a healthy exchange of ideas. We could each benefit from this exchange. Our Deerfield education wouldn't be complete without it.