Juan Diego debate instructor's thesis takes national prize

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Anthony Johnson

DRAPER — Anthony Johnson, Juan Diego Catholic High School political science instructor, co-director of forensics and speech, and debate co-coach, attended the 2013 National Communication Association Convention in Washington, D.C. Nov. 21-24, where his thesis was named the top manuscript in its division.

Johnson’s topic was how mainstream media outlets framed the Pennsylvania State sex abuse scandal.

For the manuscript, Johnson combined his interest in sports and what he sees as troubling interactions between coaches and students in general, he said.

"I wanted to witness to some of the problems that I’ve seen in sports culture, and raise awareness to some of these issues," he said. "I was fascinated by the scandal and how the media always focused on Sandusky and never really questioned whether this was a problem in other sports or throughout society in general. I was compelled to research it primarily because it was a huge problem that I noticed and I was upset about the reporting."

Johnson argued that institutions and media outlets scapegoated the Pennsylvania State’s administration and the football coaching staff, he said.

"I used theory from rhetorical critic Kenneth Burke, who writes about how scapegoating is a rhetorical practice where we vilify people and institutions and after vilifying the previous, we usher in a new series of individuals to take over," he said. "Burke calls that process purification. So we attempt to scapegoat and then purify that which we are unsatisfied with, and instead of getting to the root of the problem, we assume we’ve done something when we haven’t."

In this case, Johnson argued that the media mistakenly focused too much on Sandusky instead of looking at "how child sex abuse is an alarming problem throughout sports culture and throughout American culture," said Johnson.

Out of 455 entries, Johnson’s manuscript was named the top paper in the Kenneth Burke division.

"I was presented with an award and my professors were there to congratulate me and give me the award; it was fantastic," said Johnson. "It was really an honor. Every year the National Communication Association hosts a convention where anyone in the communication discipline can present their original research."

Johnson received a master’s degree in communications from San Diego State University in 2012. He received a bachelor’s degree from Idaho State University in communications and political science. He graduated from Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho.

Johnson is in his first year at Juan Diego. He comes to Draper from Southwestern College in San Diego, Calif., where he was a professor of communications. He also taught speech and debate at Ashland High School in Ashland, Ore.