Next time, think before lming

BY THE BURLINGAME B EDITORIAL BOARD

While students enjoyed lunch on ursday, Feb. 2, a sudden crowd of kids swarmed towards the freshman quad. Wondering what all the fuss was about, many followed, only to nd an even larger group of students standing in a giant circle with their phones in the air.

As more and more students gathered, it was hard to see anything. To get a better view, students jumped onto tables so their camera could capture a new view. Students immediately began circulating rumors and — of course — sharing videos they took with their phones.

We should have an honest conversation with ourselves. Why did dozens of students instinctually pull out their phones, text their friends and frankly, become excited at such a spectacle?

Here’s the reality: Burlingame is not a school where physical altercations are common. Our community has continually grappled with continued racism, anti-semitism and other acts of hatred. So perhaps, in a twisted way, our community has become desensitized to hate, but the novelty of physical violence seems to be more attention-grabbing. Instead of worrying about the student’s well-being, the instinct is to laugh and publicize the incident even more.

Principal Jen Fong sent an email addressing the incident at the end of h period that day. Additionally, administrators announced on the loudspeaker that wellness counselors would be available to talk to students in need of counseling during the day and a er e next day, all the administrators involved in the incident made a school-wide state-

However, while the student reactions to the lunch event necessitate ection as a community, that doesn’t require continuing to disseminate the video: It is very graphic, and publicizes a student in distress. is is not to negate the powerful and positive impact of recording people in crisis. Today, body cameras, security footage and other recording devices have played a fundamental role in holding our legal system accountable and in bringing justice to the disadvantaged. For example, just over a month ago, Tyre Nichols was brutally beaten by police. It was thanks to body cameras and cameras on street lights that police o cers were red and charged. to be o ensive is publicly criticized. However, when it comes to comedy, cancel culture is, for the most part, detrimental, and old shows containing content that is now considered questionable should not be scrutinized.

We have used vague language when detailing the incident, and there is good reason for that. What happened was a deeply personal situation that was not meant to be watched live by dozens of students and shared later with hundreds more. As the videos circulate, the true facts of the situation are shrouded in speculation.

It’s more disappointing than surprising. As a community, we have the responsibility to be respectful and assume the best intentions of others. It’s immature to mock our peers in pain, and cruel to make memes and jokes out of them.

Although documenting events on video can lead to necessary change, there is a ne line between recording for “laughs” and making a change. One serves to hold society accountable and the other only serves to relive a laugh at the expense of a student.

Yes, shows do need to realize the weight of the issues they address — but in my view, comedy does not need to detract from the meaning and importance of the topic.