By Kathleen McAleese and Kayleigh McHugh
Editor-in-Chief and Contributor
Friday Morning Sports announcements have been something students look forward to every week for years. This year however, some heads have been turned in the presence of inappropriate comments made by the anchors about specific students.
Morning Sports, traditionally, has been a comical segment, but regardless of the attempt at comedy for these past weeks, comments have been rude, uncalled for, and inappropriate for a school setting.
Granted, these anchors have been putting their best effort forth in trying to maintain the sports segment, but there is a line to be drawn when it comes to comments made about students.
There is definitely a comedic legacy that goes along with taking on the sports segment of our announcements. While it is hard to please everyone, this does not excuse any sort of resorting to humor based off of judging individuals for his or her looks.
Of course, claims can be made that what has been broadcasted to teachers, administrators, and students alike was simply “only a joke.” What has been made to be a joke are the bodies of female students.
The problem with these comments is that they have no place in the school. While in another context, to certain people, they may seem humorous, there is no place for them on the Westford Academy announcements. The school setting should be one of complete security, mentally and physically. The comments in question, objectify girls in a very public setting, and cause much insecurity and disorder amongst members of the population of our school.
What is especially disheartening, is that these tasteless remarks have continued, even as new anchors have been introduced to the segment. This lack of respect for the school and all of those in it, is a poor reflection upon the good integrity, respect, and values that are held in high importance within our school community.
The objectification and over-sexualization of women is a greater issue than that of our school environment, that much is true. Is it necessary to be broadcasting a message to students, both male and female, that inappropriate comments made at school are appropriate?
The opportunity to have our morning sports is truly a privilege, but unfortunately, it is one that is being grossly misused as of now. We encourage the current sportscasters to rethink the comments being made, to think about what their segment is currently, and the potential that it has.
There are jokes that can be made without making students and teachers uncomfortable; there are sports that can be covered while maintaining a lighthearted environment and entertaining students of all types.
Anonymous • Nov 5, 2014 at 5:55 pm
Sports should be funny, yes. But sports is not funny if people are offended by it. In fact I don’t believe sports is really entertaining anymore. Now it’s just a few guys bragging about how good they think they are and making sexist comments.
Not funny.
Anonymous • Nov 4, 2014 at 8:18 pm
The intent behind these sexist comments is irrelevant. Whether or not it is considered a “joke” to comment on your girlfriend’s body on the morning news, practices such as this still sends a message that it is okay to say inappropriate things to someone if they “look good” even if they are made uncomfortable by such comments. By dismissing it as a joke, you are excusing the discomfort that girls feel. It is not considered a compliment to direct objectifying language towards someone. On a further level, excusing such comments leads to encouraging things like catcalls and sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is not flattery. This isn’t difficult to understand. You all learned this in Freshman Health.
Anonymous • Nov 4, 2014 at 7:48 pm
http://youtu.be/-HI4DC18wCg
I think the video discussed in this debate is very similar to the comments made on the announcements. I would recommend that all watch this to get a little more perspective on the issue at hand.
Anonymous • Nov 4, 2014 at 7:45 pm
I know for a fact that one of the deans is in charge of censoring the announcements to avoid issues like this, so my question is why were these comments allowed to be made? For a school which stresses responsibility so much, it seems like the administration is itself failing on this front.
Anon • Nov 3, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Even if the girls were okay with it, I still don’t think this is a good example to be setting for people in general. Although these particular people might be fine with some of the comments made about them, the fact that they (the comments) were made in front of practically the whole school sends the message that doing this is even okay in the first place. Obviously, this isn’t the case at all, despite the fact that no one is being offended by what’s said in the announcements.
My point is that remarks that are sexualizing and objectifying (among other types) shouldn’t be broadcasted to the general public. It isn’t a matter of offending the people you’re talking about, rather what’s more important is that you’re setting an example as to what is considered ‘okay’, when it really shouldn’t be (especially in a school environment). Additionally, the type of stuff that’s being said is offensive, even though the exact content of it isn’t offending any of the people that it regards.
You guys are funny though, I’m sure there’s something else to crack jokes about.
Anonymous • Nov 3, 2014 at 8:27 pm
All the people that are freaking out about this are just jealous it’s time for you guys to calm down no one cares about what they were saying besides the people green with envy
Anonymous • Nov 3, 2014 at 4:25 pm
It’s interesting how you interviewed the girls they mentioned, yet you did not include that in your article nor did you mention that they were okay with it and that the announcers had asked their permission first. Pretty sketchy.
Anonymous • Nov 3, 2014 at 12:31 pm
I find it interesting that you interviewed the girls that were mentioned on sports yet you didn’t include that into your article..
Nate Furness • Nov 3, 2014 at 7:46 am
I think that this doesn’t matter. Sport should be funny and people should not care!
Anonymous • Oct 31, 2014 at 7:42 pm
The fact that this is even an issue is absurd. One of the girls that was referenced in a newscast specifically said that the comments toward her did not bother her the least bit. Also, why is it a bad thing to be called attractive. Some of the people who have problems with sports are people who are just jealous and wish that they were getting attention. Also, these comments were made about athletes who accomplished great things in their respective games, and those achievements were highlighted by the anchors before making the comments. People need to stop being so sensitive. Life is not fair and just because you are not getting attention does not mean you have to rip into the sports anchors. FIGURE IT OUT.
AC • Oct 31, 2014 at 6:20 pm
The problem with the way sports are being handled now is not just that they are making degrading comments about women, but they are also making lots of inside jokes that apply to only a small population of students. This shift in the Friday sports program has been occurring over the past few years so now all the broadcast consists of is a few scores being mentioned, and then the anchors talk about their friends and make comments that make no sense to the general population of WA out of context.
Anonymous • Oct 31, 2014 at 2:57 pm
How does it make the other girls feel? It makes them feel insecure and unimportant, when they could have easily had a better performance in the game then the girls mentioned. It’s not a matter of jealousy, they purposely pick popular females to try to make people laugh. This really is not what WA sports is about. Definitely not appropriate for school and I felt uncomfortable considering all the teachers and were watching it along with us.
Anonymous • Oct 31, 2014 at 2:25 pm
So I guess what everyone is saying is kinda-sorta true… in a way. The only problem with what sports is now is that they are restricted on what they can and cannot say. Back when Justin Healy and Matt Sullivan were the sports anchors, they weren’t restricted on the fact that they have to announce the scores of every sports team that sends in their scores. The only reason sports has changed to how it is now is because of those people who wanted their scores to be said on morning announcements, Friday sports was made to be a funny thing that would come on announcements at the end of the week, not a place where every sport in the school gets talked about. Now getting to part about where you guys are saying they’re are being demeaning to women, personally after talking to the girls that have been mentioned on the announcements, I have found that they don’t even care. If they don’t think that it is demeaning and they’re the ones getting talked about, then why do you care?
Anonymous • Oct 31, 2014 at 1:48 pm
If you can’t handle someone being called “hot” then you need a serious reality check.
Anonymous • Oct 31, 2014 at 1:40 pm
I think you’re just jealous
Anonymous • Oct 31, 2014 at 1:15 pm
Whoever allowed them to make objectifying comments needs to get yelled at just as much as the kids who made them. I’m sure the girls they said that about felt really uncomfortable and that’s not ok, especially on a school broadcast.
Anonymous • Oct 31, 2014 at 12:30 pm
I dont get why people are making such a big deal about a morning brodcast. I understand that some girls were called hot and all but the news people had permition to do so. I think others are maybe just jelouse that there name may not have appeared.
Charlotte • Oct 31, 2014 at 11:50 am
First of all, I’d like to question why the teacher that supervises WABC didn’t tell the announcers that what they were saying was inappropriate, in general as well as in a school setting. Front administration ok a script before it’s filmed? If they dont, then why aren’t they? And to the person who said being called hot isn’t demeaning, well maybe it isn’t to you because you’re a male. In general being called hot isn’t demeaning, but in a school setting where over 1000 people can hear it, including older adults, it’s just plain inappropriate. What exactly are they being praised for? Their LOOKS? They shouldn’t be praised for that they should be praised for their athletic achievements, after all it is a SPORTS broadcast. If you honestly think people are getting mad over the fact that a specific girl was called hot and they didn’t, then what do you think that days about our school? That looks are more important then athletic and academic abilities? There are hundreds of girls in the school, but the fact that specific girls were called out on their LOOKS rather than achievements is just wrong. The topic of sports should BE sports, nothing else.
Amelia • Oct 31, 2014 at 9:58 am
First of all this is a high school setting so there should be no debate on whether or not students should be made fun of at all. Second it was made clear that the students being mentioned were uncomfortable and third of all maybe calling a woman hot may not be demeaning in general but in a school setting it is absolutely demeaning to have your athletic achievements or academic achievementachievements ignored over your appearance. It’s demeaning for males as well the reason that the complaints from males are less is because they are not being made uncomfortable for being sexualized. Which aagain has no room in a pupublic high school’s SPORTS broadcast.
Amelia • Oct 31, 2014 at 9:54 am
Except for i has been made clear the people mentioned are uncomfortable. There should be no room for debate in a high school setting about whether or not students should be made fun of let alone it be sanctioned VT administration.
Kayleigh McHugh • Oct 31, 2014 at 6:53 am
To add on to what Kathleen has said, this is our opinion. And while we were not able to quote others or the sports casters, I think that it is important to mention that we had heard many complaints from teachers and students after the announcements. It is important to recognize that these comments were made in a very public way, and were broadcast to a very wide audience. The comments made by the announcers legitimized inappropriate behavior, where no kind of the sort should happen. It’s all about the time and the place. These comments were made at the wrong time, in the wrong place, thereby causing discomfort among students and staff.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 8:20 pm
I just don’t understand why someone that is not a “victim” (if you can even call them that), of the comments made on sports, would have an opinion or feel discomforted by them at all. You have a right to your opinion, and I can’t and won’t take that away, but an explanation of why you feel so much discomfort over such a trivial topic as sports would have been nice in the article too. It also would have been nice, and I know this has already been said, if you had had some real comments from WA students other than yourself, seeing as it is the “WA” Ghostwriter and it’s about the opinion of the population.
Kathleen McAleese • Oct 30, 2014 at 8:24 pm
Thank you for your comment. This post is not about the opinion of the school, or our publication as a whole. This opinion piece is the opinion of the authors.
Kathleen
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 8:08 pm
I agree that the comments weren’t funny, but I think it’s important to restate what someone else posted earlier. It’s not about it being girls that is uncomfortable, but the fact that these remarks bring the message of the story back to looks. It’s just as wrong if it’s about a guy as if it’s about a girl… We need to stop promoting a culture where guys get objectified and it makes them cocky and girls get objectified and it makes them uncomfortable– simple solution, stop doing it both ways.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 8:04 pm
It is extremely disheartening to see how little this article has affected some people. Not that people should drastically change the way that they think, but if people are made uncomfortable by certain comments, it makes them uncomfortable. And we should not belittle or disrespect that.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 6:47 pm
I agree with Alex.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 6:31 pm
Maybe the people mentioned in the comment told people they were fine with it, so as not to cause a fuss, but actually would rather it not had been said.
Anon • Oct 30, 2014 at 6:24 pm
Bring back justin healy and matt Sullivan those guys were hilarious!!!
Alex • Oct 30, 2014 at 6:11 pm
I believe that the key issue with this is the context in which the comments were said. To mention a girl’s appearance, positively or negatively, during the broadcast takes away from the athlete’s achievements and instead implies that no matter how well a student does, it all comes back to his or her looks. Even if the comments were about a male student instead, they take away from a person’s accomplishments and forces the viewer to place a higher importance on appearance. I don’t believe that the issue here is purely sexism because the same situation could be applied to boys, but rather in a society where eating disorders and self hatred due to our bodies is rampant, this only magnifies a student’s likelihood of judging themselves or feeling insecure. I love the discussions here though, whether you agree or not, talking about things like this is what will allow our community and society to grow as whole.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 6:06 pm
I know for a fact some of the girls talked about have felt uncomfortable and the guys are just not funny.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 5:59 pm
People need to get a grip. Either everything can be made fun of or joked about or nothing can. I bet if any of those comments were made about guys this article wouldn’t have been written in a male point of view. It would have been written at all.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 5:39 pm
I know for a fact that my team submitted scores multiples times, but our team was never talked about except once, and they never even mentioned the scores. So not only are they making comments that have made me feel self conscious, they fail to do their job. They’re too selective about what they broadcast and just aren’t funny. It doesn’t matter if the individual doesn’t feel offended or not because I know I have felt worse about myself from them commenting on the appearances of others, and that shouldn’t happen in school.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Saying someone is hot is not demeaning to woman in the least. Don’t be mad because they are being praised and some of you arn’t
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:55 pm
If the people they mentioned had no problem with it then you shouldn’t either.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:52 pm
I personally think this was poorly written. Because there is no mention on what the Sport announcers actually said, I cannot make an opinion of my own. If you want to cover an issue, make sure you explain what the issue is.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Ghostwriter needs to lighten up
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:33 pm
regardless of what the intentions of the individuals who made these comments on sports are, the effect is still the same. Just because they didn’t mean to be sexist doesn’t mean that the comments don’t come across that way.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:31 pm
this matter concerns not only the individuals who are being labeled “hot”, but also all other students who are uncomfortable hearing female students objectified in this way.
The Real Real Andy Dunn • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:13 pm
I don’t know who “Real Andy Dunn” is but I swear that I posted that comment. The ghostwriter and WA is soft.
real andy dunn • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:07 pm
For the record, that was not me posting earlier. I do not know who posted that.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:04 pm
I am sure that there was no intent to be sexist or objectifying when those comments were made, but the effect was still the same as it would have been if they were intended to be that way (if you kill somebody while driving because you weren’t paying attention, it’s still your fault). Please think before you speak.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:59 pm
Disagree. If the people talked about had no problems with it why do you get the right to get mad?
Kathleen McAleese • Oct 30, 2014 at 4:01 pm
I posted earlier that even if there are individuals who did not get upset about the comments made, this is an opinion and the comments made in a public forum affect more people than just the individual that they were aimed toward.
Kathleen
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Regardless of whether you think the comments are sexist or not, they are stupid. It’s just not funny and I’m sorry but laughing about whether someone is hot or not is just incredibly immature. And in a school composed of a mature faculty and hundreds of kids who DO have a tasteful sense of humor, it’s embarrassing to promote yourself this way on the announcements.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:46 pm
To anyone who is saying that this article is uncalled for, I just wanted to say that there is absolutely no excuse for demeaning or objectifying comments to be made about individuals on public forum at this school. This is not a matter of being “oversensitive” or “going soft”. In fact, it is comments like these that completely dismiss the concerns and discomforts of not only the students featured in these morning announcement segments, but also others who are uncomfortable with hearing this so called kind of “humor” being broadcasted.
Understandably, there are people who will find these types of “humor” funny, however deriving amusements from the objectification of a woman or man’s body is NEVER okay. I am so glad that someone is finally addressing this issue.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:39 pm
“The eyes see what they wish to.” meaning that the comments made by the sports anchor can be seen as offensive and demeaning, or they can be taken light-heartily. Additionally, the comments about women are mainly about how “hot” they are. This is an opinion but that does not sound like objectification.
On top of this is that this article is clearly written with a bias against Friday Morning Sports. Being written with a bias and generalizing other students’ thoughts incoherent with your own does not give the information much credibility. I, personally, would take the statements written in this article more seriously if there was a non-biased survey about the topic and conclusions were drawn from the results.
I’m sure the intentions of the sports anchors are not to offend anyone. They spend their own time and effort to collect information, broadcast, and has some fun while they are at it. WA News is already dry as it is, I don’t see how a little bit of humor can hurt.
Kathleen McAleese • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:46 pm
I appreciate your comment. This was written as an opinion piece by myself and Kayleigh McHugh and we are aware that there is no data collected from other females because it is our opinion. I believe that even if there are individual students, specifically girls, that are not offended by these comments, that does not make the announcements an acceptable forum for commenting on the appearance of students.
Kathleen McAleese
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:38 pm
I completely agree with this! I’m glad someone finally pointed this out. It makes me feel disappointed with our school that they would be promoting these sexist and demeaning comments. By ignoring the problem, they are allowing it to continue, and suggesting that they support it. I feel that it takes the same effort and creativity to make sports funny with clean humor. Some people might hold the opinion that these jokes are harmless, but they are objectifying specific students which to me feels like bullying. Some might say that these comments are “harmless” but by labeling jokes that demean women this way, is our school agreeing with the idea that demeaning women is acceptable?
Becca Tibbitts • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:36 pm
Keep fight the good fight with your journalism Kathleen! I agree 100%.
Sophomore Kid • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:32 pm
I get what you’re saying, it must be hurting some members of the female population of the school, but i wouldn’t know because i’m not a girl. I’m not saying the sports announcements are bad or anything, they are awesome! Although, students want to see less about comments to females or males of the school, and more of something entertaining and engaging students. For instance, last year, there were commercials or videos about sports every Friday. Those were the best while waiting for the bell to ring. The videos were funny, not hurting any one in any way (for the most part), as well as fun to watch. This leaves the students talking about it for hours during the school day, its something they can relate too. Again, i’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings in any way, but this is just my opinion and what i have heard around, thanks 😉
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:31 pm
I appreciate that some people feel this opinion is an overreaction and “soft,” but I would contend that the majority of people who do feel that way are males, whom I would further argue have never experienced any form of objectification or poorer treatment because of their gender. Focusing on female athletes’ looks rather than on their performance in that sport takes away from their accomplishments and adds to the constant unequal treatment which many women deal with.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:26 pm
Two weeks top before Burke and Schultz get ousted
mad • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:10 pm
disagree. although brewer and bunyon were not funny, those “Shane’s sister” comments were the only funny things they said. and Burkie and schultzy are the funniest
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:10 pm
I absolutely agree with this article. The WABC is a powerful means of communication as it broadcasts one message to an entire school. The effect of your words is essentially multiplied by the roughly 1600 students in the building, not even taking into account the administration. I think this can be taken as a lesson to all of us, and not only the sportscasters in question, to realize the impact of our words.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Preach Kathleen!
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 2:48 pm
I agree that the comments made on sports were sexist and demeaning, and the fact that they were allowed to be shown to the entire school community makes me wonder how the administration let these insensitive and discomforting words to be broadcast to the whole school. Students have the right to feel free from discomfort and insecurity, and the administration needs to do more to protect the wellbeing of its students.
Andy Dunn • Oct 30, 2014 at 2:35 pm
The ghostwiter has gone soft since I left, this is ridiculous.
Kathleen McAleese • Oct 30, 2014 at 2:54 pm
I’m sorry you feel this way Andy. As a female student at school, I am uncomfortable about comments made, and regardless if you think they are “soft” or not, does not sway my position, nor does it change the integrity of this publication.
Kathleen
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2014 at 12:54 pm
Disagree