You can also watch our interviews on YouTube or listen to them on Spotify or Apple podcasts.
A charismatic teacher. A vulnerable student. A student journalist who thinks the school’s not telling the truth. In some ways, the new six-part podcast series Not Just a Terrible Story might remind you of other recent podcasts about school sexual misconduct — in particular KUOW’s recent Adults In The Room.
However, there are at least three things that stand out about the series: First, co-producers Sydney Gladu and Katy Klein tackled an enormous story that includes a broader set of different kinds of school sexual misconduct. Second, they adopted a trauma-informed approach recommended by expert Charol Shakeshaft that includes both a warning at the start of each episode and an organization and website to reach out to at the end. Last but not least, they did this all — a sprawling investigation and high-quality production — without the benefit of a traditional newsroom, which is the first such instance that I can recall.
In this new interview, Klein and Gladu talk about how they first came up with the idea, built trust with their main source while remaining independent, and what parts of the series they’re most excited about.
“This whole story might not be possible in a traditional newsroom,” they tell me after our conversation. “There’s the bandwidth and budget parameters that newsrooms are constantly faced with, but also this story doesn’t have a timely news hook.”
“Also, the trauma-informed approach we took with Stacie and other survivors would be harder to execute with the deadlines of traditional newsrooms.”
The podcast has been recently written up in Bend, Oregon’s The Source. Read about the behind the scenes thinking that’s gone into the podcast here.
Previously from The Grade
Student reporters, classroom predators, & journalism ethics (featuring KUOW’s Isolde Raftery)
The missing ingredient in sexual misconduct stories (featuring Charol Shakeshaft)
