Hiccup on teen mom feature ...

You can talk to the girl, and her mom (or whoever is her guardian), and explain the situation to them, and what may happen if it all became public knowledge. For all you know, maybe she would want to talk about it to help others out there.

If they're very hesitant, then see what they would be comfortable with. They might just want to say the father is out of the picture, or something like that.

Or, if they are willing to talk, then you have one heckuva feature in which softball is only a small part.

 

Idaho, what is your thought on books like "Friday Night Lights" or George Dohrmann's book on AAU basketball?

 

Oh god. It's a can of worms either way.

Sadly, it's also a hell of a story.

My first thought is that you'll probably need to talk to some higher-ups at your paper about it.

Good luck.

 

Talk to you editors!!!!!

/spnited

 

I'd suggest talking to her parents (Are there two in the picture? Gotta ask that these days.) along with the girl and lay it all on the table for them: This is the story and how it needs to be told. Are you OK with this?

Another question: Is the uncle absolutely the baby's dad? Or just an accusation you "heard"? Better confirm that, too. If so, then find out, if you can, what, if anything, happened to him after fathering a baby with a minor family member.

If the family is uncomfortable going there, you can still tell the story - well, much of it - or maybe you make the call not to tell it at all. And that would be all right as well, in my opinion.

 

Yes, she's 18 and yes, she was under legal age of consent when this occurred. Daughter is almost 3 now and I won't mention her name if the uncle is included in the piece - good thought there Waterytart. And the young lady's parents are, well, worthless for lack of a better word - obviously or this never would've happened.

I feel like it has to be mentioned, but like Idaho pointed out, just would add to her mess.

Headbutt - That was my first plan, but the problem is the answer is 'Yes' the uncle is involved and yes bpoindexter, he certainly is the daddy as sick as that is.

Great feedback everyone. Thank you.

 

I think that there is a bigger picture thread lurking here about whether writers are or should be more sympathetic to sources in the Google age.

 

If the uncle is not a blood relative, it's not incest.

(If he's her aunt's husband for instance.)

That said, I avoid it. I am not sure that is the "right" decision in terms of news judgment, but I think it's the right moral decision.

 

Dick: I would counter that it is still unusual. The vast majority of high school kids are not parents.

The fact that she is willing to talk makes it even more unusual,

I think it is far from athlete for the week.

 

Why?

 

I know it isn't exactly an everyday occurrence, but it's still akin to a disease-of-the-week feature without the extra hook.

 

I totally agree with Whitman's last post ... Am I less of a journalist because I have sympathy for a subject? Yes, I think I am. If I had no heart, piece would've been filed already.

Probably going to write around the uncle (stork delivered baby to her front porch lol). Still a decent story without the incest as Idaho pointed out. Plus, thought here is my conservative paper would never run it anyway if I went to all the trouble of getting the complete story on the record.

Took lots of lobbying to get "higher ups" to agree to story to begin with: "Wouldn't we be advocating teen pregnancy by glorifying it in this story?" was the first response, no kidding.