Paper writes story of star high school player's failure to graduate

Wow, lcjdnh: I was going to use that as an example of going way, way too far to shame someone.

Copies of the athlete's s papers?

 

I agree. People in the community know who the person is, so it's a newsworthy story.

 

First, they had the cooperation of this (college) athlete. This contrasts with the approach many of the people in this thread would, apparently, take--assuming that the athlete has agreed to some sort of implicit bargain where he relinquishes all privacy rights the second he steps on his (high school's) football field.

Second, they had much more context. It touches on themes far beyond Mr. Cathey's own academic career. And seeks to empathize with him.

 

That's not an ethical argument. That's an abdication of the responsibility to make any sort of ethical judgment.

 

In a related story on proficiency tests, when Florida did not like the results for the writing portion of their exam they changed the standard. At 4 only 27 % of 4th graders passed. Presto - change it to 3 and 81% are now proficient.

It really shows the folly of standardized testing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/education/florida-backtracks-on-standardized-state-tests.html?_r=1&ref=us

 

And that's semantics. It comes down to whether you think the story is newsworthy.

 

Rick,

There is no such thing as privacy when it comes to the press. Certain laws prevent AGENCIES from disclosing certain information, but there is no law that restricts a media outlet from publishing or broadcasting it.

As one former editor put it "If you don't want to see it in print, don't let it happen." True for crimes or just about anything else. I totally agree with shotglass: it comes down to whether you think the story is newsworthy. One of the reason our industry is in peril is we shy away from real hard news in favor of the puff, feel-good pieces that are easy to write and no one's feelings get hurt.

 

Tabloid mentality. And I mean that in the perjorative sense.

 

BREAKING: Local Student Must Attend Summer School

 

Unfortunately, I think many small newspaper fall into the trap where reporters feel the need to be a "real journalist" when covering a story that doesn't need the depth an editor or reporter thinks it does. There is a thrill in being a "real journalist," but then the vacant feeling comes back when you realize you're working 50 hours a week with no overtime for $25K a year.