Is it wrong to publish killer’s photo in Marysville yearbook?

The shooting by Jaylen Fryberg at Marysville Pilchuck High School is reopening wounds once again as some found his name and picture in the school’s yearbook. It’s a controversial move that’s upsetting some community members.

“I have never been so disappointed,” a student said in an email to KING 5. “He has no place in a book where he will remind the children of the horrific day.”

The student said she wasn’t yet certain if her friends were upset, but argues the community is pretty divided when it comes to Jaylen.

I’m not entirely sure how divided the community is. There’s not much more than that anecdotal evidence and she’s certainly more in touch with the community than I am, but I also saw that Michelle Galasso, whose daughter Zoe was killed in the shooting, said she understands the decision to publish the photo. She also noted that there are some amazing examples of work in the yearbook honoring the victims of the shooting.

For the school’s part, they’re saying this wasn’t an easy decision. They released a statement:

The Marysville Pilchuck yearbook staff and students, along with school administration, researched the most appropriate ways to approach the content and layout of the yearbook after the tragic events of this school year. This process included speaking to other school districts which have experienced school shootings and consulting with experts in the field. The outcome of these conversations was the decision that all students would remain in the yearbook. It has been our goal to handle every situation with sensitivity, relying on the advice and expertise of those who unfortunately have found themselves in similar situations. -Dr. Becky Berg, Superintendent, Marysville School District

There’s no doubt this is a tough decision, but I think it’s the right one to include him in the yearbook. We have to remember that Jaylen Fryberg was well-liked, and that makes these scenarios even more confusing if you’re going through this. To think that the kid you ate lunch with, hung out with, went to the movies with ends up killing his friends and himself in your cafeteria is something pretty difficult to process (whether you’re a teen or an adult). Remember, a lot of folks outside of the community seemed upset or confused that kids on Twitter were also remembering Jaylen, not just the victims.

Even though what happened is probably tougher for these kids and families than anything you or I have ever experienced, you can’t pretend Jaylen Fryberg didn’t exist and I think removing his photo might try to send that message.

In fact, I imagine pushing those emotions aside and trying to pretend he didn’t exist, will probably be worse for a lot of folks. I imagine it’s healthier to acknowledge the emotions of what you went through, rather than try to push them aside. This photo, of an intrinsic member of the school and someone who has now shaped lives of the community (even if for the worse), can be that prompt to continue to emotionally cope with that tragedy.

I understand not wanting to be reminded about the tragedy (a fair request), but then that would preclude any memorials to the victims, as well. Is it always black or white? No – these conversations are nuanced and should be treated case-by-case. Ultimately, this is up to the school (not a talk show host who lives in Seattle), but I support the decision here.