With controversial current events occurring constantly and being shared through the media, the political atmosphere in the United States is currently as tense as ever. Some Chamblee students have formed their own opinions on these events while others may not be as informed about what is happening in the world around them. Social media, which occupies much of teenagers’ time, has become a major platform for receiving and sharing news, but how much do high school students care about the news?
“It is a pretty even split. There are enough [students] that do look at the news, but there are also a good few who have probably never looked at news in their lives,” said Ashrith Narayan (‘24).
A possibility for why students may not care about the news is a lack of trust in their own ability to change our government.
“I feel like a lot of high schoolers nowadays [do not watch the news] because they feel like they have no political effectiveness,” said Dessa Wiese (‘27).
The rise of social media as a news site has also sparked opposing opinions on whether it should be relied on for information about current events.
“I think [social media should be a news site], but to a certain extent. Recently, the media has been portraying different views on different things that are very one-sided,” said Riasha Ullah (‘25).
Narayan also believes that discretion is necessary when using social media posts to learn about current events.
“I think you can use social media as a news site, but you should take everything on social media with a grain of salt because there is always going to be bias and opinions out there,” he said.
Some Chamblee students choose to get their news from other sources that they consider more reliable.
“I use the default news app that comes with an iPhone, so I [check the news] four times a week,” said Ullah.
Although many students do not check the news every day, many believe in the importance of being aware of major international events
“I do not think you should read the news every day, but you should know the bigger instances that are happening in the world because they might affect you at some point,” said Mariana Linares (‘25).
Seeking out available information is vital to being aware of what is going on in the world.
“I think it is very important for everybody to [check the news] because that is how you know what is going on in the world, what people are thinking, and what is really going through the minds of people right now,” said Narayan.
Teachers at Chamblee stress the importance of staying informed to all students.
“You are the changemakers and voters now,” said Holly Isserstedt. “So if you are not staying up-to-date, then it is hard to break generational cycles.”
