“How far is too far?” is a question many journalists ask while crafting satirical articles for April Fools’ Day, but it appears some have missed the mark.
The Daily Tar Heel’s editorial board is under fire after an April Fool’s print edition sparked controversy and outrage on Instagram and TikTok.
Screenshot of The Daily Tarheel's Instagram Story
On Wednesday, the University of North Carolina’s (UNC) student newspaper released its weekly print edition, displaying satirical articles on its cover. These articles were also published on @dailytarheel on Instagram but were later removed, according to an Instagram story post.
Editor-in-Chief Alli Pardue issued an apology on Instagram Wednesday night, stating the newsroom made “insensitive decisions and oversights.” Pardue also said the newspaper’s leadership team “undoubtedly exist[s] in positions of power and privilege” on the university’s campus.
“We have seen and heard your critiques and outrage, and we see how the packaging of our satire content into an April Fools Day newspaper appeared to make light out of the issues discussed—which was not at all our intention,” Pardue wrote.
“But our execution of this edition was riddled with error and fundamentally fell flat,” Pardue added, noting the newspaper did not “sufficiently consider” how the satirical content would be perceived in the current political climate.
Some satirical stories that drew criticism included:
The Daily Tar Heel’s rebranding to ‘The Daily Woke Heel’, which detailed a new logo of the school mascot, a ram, wrapped in a “Progress Pride flag, weeping and wearing stilettos.”
UNC bringing back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for white people, referencing calls for a “White History Month” and citing a declining white population on campus. In a 2022 report, the university’s student body was 54.9% white.
Former UNC men’s head basketball coach Hubert Davis’s search for a summer internship after he was fired on March 26.
Additional controversial and political articles were also removed from The Daily Tar Heel’s website, including articles that “regarded ICE, UNC-Pembroke and the Dean Dome,” according to a statement posted to the Daily Tar Heel’s Instagram on Thursday.
“Taking accountability for the harm of these pieces of content caused is our #1 priority,” the statement said. “Our leadership team is currently taking the time to read through every one of your comments, emails and statements.”
The Daily Tar Heel isn’t the only student newspaper in North Carolina facing controversy. The Chronicle, UNC’s rival and Duke University’s student newspaper, also faced backlash for its satirical edition titled “The Chomicle.”
Articles that amassed Instagram negative comments included a men’s basketball player’s NIL partnership with Alcoholics Anonymous, and another about losing parties in the student government race storming the Duke Chapel, making the Jan. 6 insurrection “look like a birthday party.”
Dominique Mercadante is the Editor-in-Chief of The Setonian. She can be reached at dominique.mercadante@student.shu.edu.
