Journalism should be considered an art because it does almost exactly what other fine art classes do; compete at UIL against other school for newspaper, stories can be showcased like artworks in galleries, yearbooks can win awards and there is so much more similarities to compare journalism with other fine art classes.

As journalism students it’s already discouraging enough to feel like journalism is just the dumping ground for students who don’t pick electives the year before, but it’s even worse to be told that our writing isn’t art. We believe our writing is art. Instead of making a visual of emotions, we express our emotions through words. Instead of making sound physically with instruments or our voices, we create it loud enough for people to hear through a writing utensil or a keyboard.

We understand that writing can be too general of an elective to consider a fine arts class, but it would make journalism students feel less downcasted. Of course students should step out of their comfort zone and get involved with something they wouldn’t think to do but taking art, band, dance, choir, theatre or floral design can look a little strange on student’s transcripts for college because their other classes will be consistent until you see a random fine arts class.

Seniors who have taken all journalism classes throughout their entire high school career are now put into a class with underclassmen because they wanted to do what they love rather than do what they’re not comfortable with. It’s more inconvenient for them because they are able to take a class they didn’t want to do and possibly replace another journalism class they wanted to take instead.

We believe writing should be considered an art because writing can turn the exact noise and visuals into words, going above and beyond creativity itself, making every writer feel like what they make is art and what they do is important and not just another elective.