A Teen Reporter Searched for His Community in the Epstein Files. Adults Freaked
3 hours ago
- High school student Ben Mueller used the Epstein files from a DOJ portal for a journalism assignment, finding connections to his wealthy Marin County area.
- Mueller's Instagram slideshow post for his school paper, the Redwood Bark, gained over 4,000 likes but led to a legal threat from a woman named in the files.
- The school district demanded removal of the post, but students consulted lawyers and state press law to defend their work, eventually restoring the slide.
- The journalism teacher Erin Schneider went on leave after conflicts with administration, which students saw as censorship; the incident drew national media attention.
- Students maintained control over the paper's decisions, rejecting the narrative of victimization, and both Mueller and Bishop graduated, pursuing further education.