As I sit here reflecting on my 35-year journey with the Los Angeles Times, I can’t help but chuckle at the irony of it all. After being unceremoniously let go via mass email, only to be rehired and then resign over a matter of principle – it feels like I’ve been through more plot twists than a telenovela!
In June of 2023, I unexpectedly received a termination email from the Los Angeles Times, along with 73 other employees – no phone calls, no face-to-face conversations, just an impersonal group message. This left me questioning if the newspaper’s leadership was so disorganized that they couldn’t handle a straightforward reduction in staff, or if they simply didn’t value basic consideration for their employees, even one like myself who had been contributing to the paper since 1989.
Now I have my answer.
Four months down the line, I was offered another position, this time on a temporary basis, to assist during the election period. This task demands significant time and thorough research to ensure it’s handled responsibly. Readers find our election endorsements crucial, as evidenced by an increase in subscriptions whenever they are published. Over time, my temporary role evolved into a permanent offer to rejoin the editorial team.
For nearly half of my life, I’ve dedicated myself to working tirelessly for The Times. However, a recent event that left me feeling disgruntled – my inability to endorse Kamala Harris – led to an abrupt resignation last week. I have no plans to return.
Understand, I respect owner Patrick Soon-Shiong’s right to interfere with editorials; that is one place where he ethically can do so. It’s hardly the first time in my 22 years of writing editorials for the Times. Publisher/CEO Eddy Hartenstein wanted an editorial on for-profit trade schools ripping off students, and he was right. Another publisher, Jeff Johnson, wanted to know why we shouldn’t endorse legislation to put the L.A. schools under some form of mayoral control; after listening to my reasoning, he took my side. Sometimes I’ve agreed with the outcomes, sometimes not. But I never remotely considered quitting over them.
If Dr. Soon-Shiong had chosen to abstain from endorsing presidential candidates back in the early spring, that would have been a reasonable, impartial, and acceptable choice. However, choosing to make this decision at the last minute, when candidates are already established, polls are close, and small factors can sway the election outcome, Dr. Soon-Shiong’s non-editorial stance effectively transforms into an editorial – a silent, invisible one. This covert stance could unintentionally suggest severe flaws in Kamala Harris that align her with Donald Trump, which is unfair and contradicts the neutrality he claims to uphold. In essence, Dr. Soon-Shiong may be unwittingly practicing the antithesis of the impartiality he aspires for.
A recommendation for Harris would be expected, as this editorial board has long criticized Donald Trump and the owner appears unfazed. Being a progressive board from a Democratic state, endorsing fellow Californian Harris seemed like the logical next move. Not endorsing her might raise eyebrows, potentially damaging her in more unstable states. Given the high stakes, such a move could be risky.
The determination to step down solidified within me after Soon-Shiong shared his proposal on X, suggesting the board conduct an impartial assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of both Harris and Trump during their presidencies.
The news section consistently delivers unbiased reporting and insightful analysis, offering crucial information throughout. This isn’t an opinion piece; opinion pieces use insightful analysis to advocate a stance. That’s why we have a dedicated opinion team separate from the news team. However, given the board’s history of criticizing Trump, one might question the impartiality of this “neutral” analysis. Nevertheless, I must acknowledge that Trump did expand federal job opportunities for individuals without a bachelor’s degree in 2020, which was not Harris’ original idea. Moreover, it’s important to note that comparing a vice president’s performance to a president’s is like comparing apples to an orange, as their roles are fundamentally distinct.
As a dedicated follower, I’m curious about this unexpected shift towards impartiality and avoiding polarizing viewpoints in the editorials. Previously, our views had been established on 45’s races. Yet, Dr. Soon-Shiong invested additional resources to rehire me to contribute to those opinions. And then, during the presidential race, we transformed from passionate commentators into mere, or should I say, neutral fact presenters?
In that post, the author claimed that “the Editorial Board opted to stay quiet,” which is false and seems like an attempt to blame the wrong individuals. The truth is, no one on the board ever chose silence. On the contrary, the owner’s actions of silencing our voice led to the resignation of almost half of the editorial board. While it’s his right to make such decisions, it would be more honest if he acknowledged his role in these events.
Karin Klein has authored two books, with her latest being “Rethinking College: A Guide to Thriving Without a Degree” published by HarperCollins, and spent 35 years working for the Los Angeles Times, serving on their editorial board for the last 22 years, focusing on education, health, and science.
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2024-10-27 21:54