Is this fair?

[KO]

I am troubled by this story on the KNS website. Is it fair to splash this 18-year old's photo all over the place based on nothing more than the fact that an allegation is being investigated? There are no criminal charges. There is no civil lawsuit. The kid has sworn under oath that nothing happened. In the absence of hard evidence, is this fair? In the absence of hard evidence, is this anyone's business?

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_ne...868788,00.html

[rikki]

The fact that both administrators have been placed on leave and have or will be transferred to another school makes it news. Whether the student should be named is another matter, especially since the grade-changing allegations include other students who were not named.

[KO]

But there is no indication that they have been transferred as a result of misconduct related to these allegations. While that may or may not be the case (I don't know), the article doesn't say.

Maybe I'm in the minority on this one. I just don't like it, for some reason. I feel bad for the young man, I guess.

[me]

I agree this seems questionable. WATE is doing it too. And WBIR. WVLT also has the story, but no photos. Was he even 18 at the time of the alleged incidents? And there haven't been any actual charges against anybody, right? Makes for great sensational local news, though.

[lynnmc]

I read the article after having read your post, KO, so I went into it looking for the reason someone thought it was OK, 'cos when I read your post I thought no, just because he's 18, since he's in HS this is not really cool (even though him being 18 means they can do it, just doesn't make it right).

As I was reading, what struck me was this thought - Someone thought it would be OK to print the kid's name because his dad is a football coach/employee at the school.

Now, of course, that's just conjecture and probably not so but that was the thought that jumped out at me. However, to me, since his dad apparently had zero involvement himself with the situation at hand, I don't think it was cool, and even if his dad was involved in any way or had knowledge it wouldn't have been cool to me.

I know the world has adopted the "if they're not a minor it's OK to name names" concept but to me, I just don't think it's fair period if they're still in high school...

And absolutely the fact that there have been no formal charges - I feel like someone should have sat on it until there were, but... well, I realize it's news, and the administrator situation makes it news, but from a child advocacy standpoint I just feel like that protection should hold out until high school's over, not just because they turn 18, but that's just me.

[KO]

Well, high school is over. The article says he is enrolled in summer school at UT.

Administrators are reassigned every year. It's usually not prominently featured. What makes this front page news is the rank speculation that the reassignments might be related to some juicy gossip. That's an acceptable standard for a tabloid but I question whether it is appropriate for the KNS, which I hold to a higher standard.

[lynnmc]

Ah yeah... good point. I forgot about summer and what school calendars are like in my old age. Wasn't thinking, my bad.

I do still agree though, I think this should have been held until and unless there were formal charges of some kind. Especially since the kid's sworn under oath nothing happened.

[ernie]

IIs this fair?

No.

[Hildegard]

I watched TV news tonight. The reporter kept saying, "If these reports are substantiated...." Whoa. I remember the day when reporters waited until the reports were substantiated to ruin people's lives, let alone report, y'know, the news.

[bird jam]

This is going to ruin downtown.