Alumni donations

I have an emotional connection with my family; that doesn't mean I never disagree with them. I can love someone or something and not be blind to its imperfections.

I love my high school. I am active in alumni affairs and give $300 per year, which my paper matches through its Matching Gift Program (which says to me that the paper doesn't have a problem with it). Early in my career, when I covered high schools, I not only covered that school sometimes while I was still a student there but covered a team I used to play on and really pissed off my old coach.

I think, really, we can get a bit ridiculous sometimes. Say your paper has a religion reporter. If he's a churchgoer, then does he automatically have a bias toward his church and a bias against all other churches? And if he is not a churchgoer, does he have a bias against all organized religion? At some point we have to judge him on his work, not on his membership in a church.

I would have a problem with the reporter giving money to the athletic department, but not to the school's general fund. Will some readers have a problem with this? Maybe, but people have problems with a lot of things we do, and at some point we must use our common sense about what's a legit gripe and what isn't.

 

journalists are held to higher standards of ethics than clergy and cops.
it's gotten to where you have to live in a bubble - you can observe the world - but you can't be part of it. and it's ridiculous.


it's the 'perception' thing that bugs me. even if there's no real conflict, somebody is always throwing 'perception' in your face - for unrelated or distantly-related matters.

of course you can give to the school, if not the athletic department. you know it won't affect your coverage - even if somebody perceives it will. you can't always worry about how you appear to others. that's a prescription for disaster.

if the public wants priests for reporters it might get more than it bargained for - a lot of dogma and diddling.

 

If you don't think it's a conflict of interest or that it won't influence your coverage, do it.

Why would you tell anyone? Do you broastcast donations to United Way or the Humane Society?

If you're still unsure, talk with your HR department. It's confidential (at least, it should be) and you're also doing one of the most important things ... covering your ass.

If you somehow were influenced by the situation, it would be apparent and you'd be looking for a new job.