The first anniversary of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas came in the middle of this week. It was not the last school shooting, not by a long shot.

All of society has grown used to such events, but people still in school--and their parents and teachers--have to live with the possibility that it could happen here. The Truth to Power Club at Ashland High School explores the issue further in a fresh installment of our Fresh Eyes podcast.

Fresh Eyes will take a break for the summer and return in the fall. We'd like to thank Isadora Millay and Simone Starbird for their engaging work this year.

Also, Jefferson Public Radio wishes Isadora all the best as she graduates this June. You inspire us with your dedication and thoughtfulness. Congratulations on your next exciting chapter!

The frustrating regularity of school shootings puts us all on high alert. Then comes the additional frustration of people reporting such shooting events when none have happened. They generally get lumped under the term "swatting," which used to mean having the SWAT team show up at your house, when nothing is going on.

The Truth to Power team at Ashland High School explores recent swatting events in the region, in this month's edition of Fresh Eyes.

Listen for their analysis, and for their first-person stories of being witnesses to a school lockdown.

The year 2023 was still brand-new when a group called Parents Defending Education announced it had filed a federal civil rights complaint against Ashland schools. PDE claims discrimination by the "affinity groups" in the schools, like the Black Student Union at Ashland High School.

AHS students in the Truth to Power Club, veteran podcasters, investigated the complaint, the basis for it, and the group complaining. The results are contained in the first TTP podcast assembled for air on the Jefferson Exchange. Think of it as the first in a series.