As The Choate Inquiry masthead puts the final touches on their fall issue, they plan to announce a second launch party likely to take place by the end of the term. Editor-in-Chief Finn McGaan ’22 said, “We’re looking forward to seeing a show from some of our brilliant acapella groups, as well as performances from other student musicians. There will, of course, be food.”
McGaan founded The Choate Inquiry last winter when he noticed that political polarization was becoming an issue at Choate in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. “The Choate Young Republicans and Democrats had become entirely insulated — there was an extraordinary lack of diverse opinions in the meetings of both clubs,” he said. Hoping to build a more nuanced understanding of the issues the Choate community faces, McGaan decided to start a publication that created a forum for honest debate between peers with political differences with the help of their faculty adviser Ms. Amy Salot. Ms. Salot decided to advise the publication because she loved McGann’s idea. “I love the exchange of well-supported opinions,” she said.
The masthead is composed of McGaan, managing editor Brooke Edwards ’22, as well as a layout editor, a graphics editor, and a team of copy editors and submissions editors. Last spring, the Inquiry published their inaugural issue with opinion articles ranging from the hook-up culture at Choate to politics in the classroom.
So far, the magazine has received a mix of reactions, mainly concerning the sensitivity and formatting of the content published. Yoyo Zhang ’24 is in support of the publication’s purpose, particularly the format of two articles with opposing viewpoints on the same topic. “It is no surprise that some might find certain articles insensitive, but they do not come across as particularly offensive to me, provided that the introduction letter addresses the fact that the masthead only endorses the debate itself, not the content,” she said. Zhang also appreciates the work of the masthead in eliminating any discriminatory viewpoints. She said, “as a publication that deals with controversial information, the masthead plays a significant part in balancing different sides of an issue and making sure that the input is received from a diverse group of subjects.”
On the other hand, Allyson Alavez ’22 is not a fan of The Choate Inquiry. “I think the biggest issue is that it attempts to find a middle ground on bipartisan issues, but that’s not always possible and is counterproductive,” she said. “It just feels performative on the liberal writer’s end.”
To address these controversies, June Lu ’22, one of the three copy editors, said, “The Choate Inquiry is a debate magazine, and we’re looking for strong opinions, good writing, and eloquence in your expression. Being controversial doesn’t undermine any of that, nor does it limit whether or not you’ll be published.”
McGaan further pointed out that The Choate Inquiry is not intended to represent all students’ political perspectives, because it is impossible to do so. He believes it would go against the publication’s goal to heal the rift between political adversaries if the masthead was to pit Republicans and Democrats or conservatives and liberals against each other. Instead of emphasizing partisanship, the publication aims to highlight a variety of perspectives on hot-button issues. “While articles may be written by students who sympathize with different political parties, the focus is on their ideas, not the ideas of the organization they have the most in common with,” he said.
In the next issue, which is slated to be published before Thanksgiving break, controversies such as the Choate dress code, free speech on campus, and mandating Covid-19 vaccinations in the U.S will be examined.
