Reading through the Opinions section of The Eagle, some articles will make you intrigued to learn more. Some others will make you say aloud “That’s right!,” and some others will leave you shaking your head in disagreement. When any topics of importance are discussed publicly – and these issues necessitate such conversation – a diverse set of reactions will nearly always follow. 

As students of BCHigh, we are asked not to be reactionary, but contemplatives in action; we eschew ad hominems in the pursuit of intellectual conversation; we weigh evidence and construct informed opinions. When an article is published in The Eagle, that student thoughtfully translated his emotions, beliefs, and arguments into the written word. Placing one’s opinion, closely held beliefs, and emotional experiences into a public form comes with risk – that person is vulnerable to scrutiny from the entire community. Such vulnerability does not exempt him from critique, but it ought to exact a sensitivity when digesting his work. 

If an article strikes you, a BCHigh student, as lacking nuance or discussion of relevant aspects of an issue, explore deeper. Meet with him; understand his work and perspective. Do not engage in reactionary disgust nor marginalize a fellow Eagle. If you feel compelled to write a counter-argument or illuminate underappreciated data or anecdotes, The Eagle will work with you to publish it. As “The Eyes and Ears of BCHigh” and a place where students’ can express themselves, we are committed to publishing the wide range of diverse ideas and positions that the student body holds. The bromidic mantra “Open to Growth” is an aphorism The Eagle strives to cultivate – but honest revelation and discourse cannot occur if students fear ostracization. 

Listen to your friends and classmates intently: understand their point of view and why it appeals to them. And also write about your own understanding and where you disagree. That Openness to Growth will spark conversation, change minds, and encourage freedom of expression within BCHigh.