To the Editors:

When I first saw that this week’s edition of the Review was out, I rushed to see how you would cover the deaths of the two students. In a community that has been shaken to its core by these deaths, whether we knew them or not, I was fascinated at how you would cover the events in a way that was both professional and respectful to the feelings of people in the community. When I read the front page, I was really relieved to find your coverage of the incident and the biographies (and pictures) of Zac Tucker and Ben Caraco to be extremely respectful and poignant.

However, when I flipped to page six, I was horrified to read all the grisly details of their deaths and see the picture of the twisted remains of the car. It seemed excessive and harmful to a community where a number of students knew the victims (I did not) and many who had actually seen the event and the aftermath of the accident. Though I understand the need to report on the news as accurately and professionally as possible, I think it is equally if not more important in a community as small and close-knit as Oberlin to consider your audience. Do people who are already hurting really need to see the car or hear the details, especially shown in juxtaposition with the students’ smiling faces?

Don’t get me wrong on the whole, I appreciate the tact and professionalism shown by the Review in reporting the deaths and providing students with information and a forum for them to deal with this traumatic event. However, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Next time (and wow, I hope that there’s not a next time) maybe that would be something to keep in mind.

–April Sizemore-Barber
College junior